The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the nation's civil space program and aeronautics and space research. NASA was established on July 29, 1958, by the National Aeronautics and Space Act, and it began operations on October 1, 1958. NASA was created in response to the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik in 1957 and was built upon the foundation of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). NASA's mission is to explore the unknown in air and space, innovate for the benefit of humanity, and inspire the world through discovery. The agency has led pioneering space exploration programs, including Project Mercury, Project Gemini, the Apollo program (which landed the first humans on the Moon in 1969), the Skylab space station, and the Space Shuttle program.
NASA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has ten field centers across the United States. The agency is organized into mission directorates for Aeronautics Research, Science, Space Operations, Exploration Systems Development, Space Technology, and Mission Support. NASA supports the International Space Station (ISS) and is developing the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System for the Artemis program, which aims to establish a sustainable presence on the Moon. As of December 17, 2025, the Administrator of NASA is Jared Isaacman. Recent news includes the upcoming launch of the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station and the completion of the first AI-planned drive on Mars by the Perseverance rover.