NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the United States' civil space program and for research in aeronautics and space. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NASA operates ten field centers across the U.S. and is organized into mission directorates for Science, Space Operations, Exploration Systems Development, Space Technology, Aeronautics Research, and Mission Support. Established in 1958, NASA succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) to give the U.S. space program a distinct civilian orientation focused on peaceful applications. Since then, it has led most American spaceflight programs, including Project Mercury, Project Gemini, the Apollo program, Skylab, the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station (ISS) and the ongoing multi-national Artemis program. NASA maintains extensive ground and communications infrastructure, including the Deep Space Network and the Near Earth Network. Its science programs focus on Earth observation through the Earth Observing System, heliophysics research, Solar System exploration with robotic missions such as New Horizons and the Perseverance rover, and astrophysics investigations using space-based observatories including the James Webb Space Telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope. The Launch Services Program oversees launch operations for uncrewed launches. The agency supports the ISS through partnerships and commercial programs such as the Commercial Crew Program and Commercial Resupply Services, and leads development of the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System rocket for Artemis. NASA collaborates internationally with organizations including the European Space Agency (ESA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and Russia's Roscosmos (for ISS operations), as well as with U.S. agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the United States Geological Survey, and the United States Space Force. NASA's missions and media initiatives, including the NASA+ streaming service, contribute to its public visibility and outreach. The agency has also had a lasting influence on popular culture since the Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969. For fiscal year 2026, NASA was authorized a budget of $24.4 billion and employs approximately 18,400 civil servants; since December 2025, its administrator has been Jared Isaacman.