New Venus Missions Announced on This Week @NASA – June 4, 2021 1

For other uses, see NASA (disambiguation).
National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationA blue sphere with stars, a yellow planet with a white moon; a red chevron representing wings, and an orbiting spacecraft; surrounded by a white border with "NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION U.S.A." in red letters
NASA seal
A blue sphere with stars, white letters N-A-S-A in Helvetica font; a red chevron representing wings, and an orbiting spacecraft
NASA "meatball" insignia
A red line forming stylized letters N-A-S-A
NASA "worm" logotype
NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Agency overview
Abbreviation NASA
Formed July 29, 1958; 62 years ago
Preceding agency

National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (1915–1958)[1]

Type Space agency
Jurisdiction United States Federal Government
Headquarters Washington, D.C.
38°52′59″N 77°0′59″WCoordinates: 38°52′59″N 77°0′59″W
Motto For the Benefit of All[2]
Administrator
Bill Nelson
Deputy Administrator Vacant
Primary spaceports

John F. Kennedy Space CenterCape Canaveral Space Force StationVandenberg Air Force Base

Owner United States
Employees 17,373 (2020)[3]
Annual budget Increase US$22.629 billion (2020)[4]
Website NASA.gov
Part of a series on the
United States Space Program

NASAU.S. Space Force

Human spaceflight programs
Robotic spaceflight programs
NASA Astronaut Corps
Spaceports
Space launch vehicles
National security space
Civil space
Commercial space industry

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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA /ˈnæsə/) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and space research.[note 1]

NASA was established in 1958, succeeding the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The new agency was to have a distinctly civilian orientation, encouraging peaceful applications in space science.[7][8][9] Since its establishment, most US space exploration efforts have been led by NASA, including the Apollo Moon landing missions, the Skylab space station, and later the Space Shuttle. NASA is supporting the International Space Station and is overseeing the development of the Orion spacecraft, the Space Launch System, and Commercial Crew vehicles. The agency is also responsible for the Launch Services Program, which provides oversight of launch operations and countdown management for uncrewed NASA launches.

NASA's science is focused on better understanding Earth through the Earth Observing System;[10] advancing heliophysics through the efforts of the Science Mission Directorate's Heliophysics Research Program;[11] exploring bodies throughout the Solar System with advanced robotic spacecraft such as New Horizons;[12] and researching astrophysics topics, such as the Big Bang, through the Great Observatories and associated programs.[13]