The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research. Since February 2006, NASA's mission statement has been to "pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research." On September 14, 2011, NASA announced that it had selected the design of a new Space Launch System that it said would take the agency's astronauts farther into space than ever before and provide the cornerstone for future human space exploration efforts by the U.S. NASA was established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act on July 29, 1958, replacing its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The agency became operational on October 1, 1958. U.S. space exploration efforts have since been led by NASA, including the Apollo moon-landing missions, the Skylab space station, and later the Space Shuttle. Currently, NASA is supporting the International Space Station and is overseeing the development of the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle and Commercial Crew vehicles.
Image: Small satellite demonstrates possible solution for 'space junk'
The International Space Station serves as humanity's orbital research platform, conducting a variety of experiments and research projects while in orbit around the planet.
Sep 21, 2018
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Image: First light data for NASA's Parker Solar Probe
Just over a month into its mission, NASA's Parker Solar Probe has returned first-light data from each of its four instrument suites. These early observations – while not yet examples of the key science observations Parker ...
Advancing local terahertz oscillators to enable cosmic observations
NASA is developing a new type of detector that will provide insight into the formation and structure of the universe. Many of the radiative and mechanical interactions that shape the interstellar medium of galaxies and drive ...
Image: Astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor examines her eyes
Astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor, a member of the Expedition 56 crew currently aboard the International Space Station, examined her eye with a Funduscope with remote support from doctors on the ground.
Juno captures elusive 'brown barge'
A long, brown oval known as a "brown barge" in Jupiter's South Equatorial Belt is captured in this color-enhanced image from NASA's Juno spacecraft.
MarCO makes space for small explorers
Twenty years ago, CubeSats—a class of boxy satellites small enough to fit in a backpack—were used by universities as a teaching aid. Simpler, smaller and cheaper than traditional satellites, they've made space more accessible ...
Video: Staring down Hurricane Florence
"Ever stared down the gaping eye of a category 4 hurricane? It's chilling, even from space," says European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst (@Astro_Alex), who is currently living and working aboard the International ...
Exploring the solar system? You may need to pack an umbrella
Gearing up for its first flight test, NASA's Adaptable Deployable Entry Placement Technology, or ADEPT, is no ordinary umbrella. ADEPT is a foldable device that opens to make a round, rigid heat shield, called an aeroshell. ...
Where to place a rainwater harvesting system
On any given day, Zoubaida Salman instructs a classroom of 15-year-olds at the Sur Baher Girls School in East Jerusalem, where she has served as the science teacher and Environment and Health Coordinator for the past 22 years. ...
Cool ways of studying the cryosphere
One of the key elements of Earth's climate system is the cryosphere – the many forms of ice found on Earth. Two new NASA missions use different technologies to help scientists better understand how frozen water is affecting ...
