Overview
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the United States' federal space agency, established in 1958. With an annual budget exceeding $25 billion, NASA is the world's largest and most well-funded space agency, operating across human spaceflight, robotic exploration, Earth science, aeronautics and space technology.
Key Programmes (2026)
Artemis: NASA's flagship programme to return humans to the Moon and establish sustained presence. Artemis I (uncrewed) flew in 2022, Artemis II (crewed flyby) is in preparation, and Artemis III aims to land astronauts on the lunar south pole using SpaceX's Starship Human Landing System.
International Space Station: NASA operates the US segment of the ISS in partnership with Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA and CSA. Continuously crewed since November 2000, with planned retirement around 2030.
Mars Exploration: Perseverance rover continues operating in Jezero Crater, collecting samples for future Earth return. The Ingenuity helicopter completed 72 flights.
James Webb Space Telescope: Launched December 2021, JWST is the most powerful space telescope ever built — 6.5 m primary mirror at the L2 Lagrange point.
Commercial Crew: SpaceX Crew Dragon and Boeing Starliner ferry astronauts to the ISS, ending US dependence on Russian Soyuz.
Earth Science: NASA operates dozens of EO satellites including Terra, Landsat, ICESat-2 and PACE.
Key Facts
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 29 July 1958 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Employees | ~18,000 civil servants + 40,000+ contractors |
| Major Centres | JSC (Houston), KSC (Florida), JPL (California), GSFC (Maryland) |
| Launch Sites | Kennedy Space Center (FL), Wallops (VA) |
Historical Milestones
Mercury (1961–63), Gemini (1965–66), Apollo (6 Moon landings, 1969–72), Skylab (1973–74), Space Shuttle (135 missions, 1981–2011), ISS (2000–present), and the ongoing Artemis programme.