NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is a United States government agency responsible for the country’s civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research. It was established in 1958 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in response to the Soviet Union’s launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik.
NASA’s mission is to drive advances in science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration to enhance knowledge, education, innovation, economic vitality, and stewardship of Earth. The agency has achieved many milestones in space exploration, including landing humans on the moon, launching the Hubble Space Telescope, and sending robotic missions to Mars and other planets.
NASA’s current major programs include the International Space Station, the Artemis program to return humans to the moon by 2024, the Mars Exploration Program, and the James Webb Space Telescope. The agency also conducts research on Earth science, aeronautics, and technology development.
NASA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has ten field centers across the United States, including the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The agency employs over 17,000 people and has an annual budget of approximately $25 billion.
