NASA
![[[NASA Headquarters|Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters]] building in [[Washington, D.C.]]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/NASA_HQ_Building.jpg)
The
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (
NASA; ) is an
independent agency of the
U.S. federal government responsible for the civil
space program,
aeronautics research, and
space research.
Established in 1958, it succeeded the
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) to give the U.S. space development effort a distinct civilian orientation, emphasizing peaceful applications in
space science. It has since led most of America's
space exploration programs, including
Project Mercury,
Project Gemini, the 1968–1972
Apollo Moon landing missions, the
Skylab space station, and the
Space Shuttle. Currently, NASA supports the
International Space Station (ISS) along with the
Commercial Crew Program, and oversees the development of the
Orion spacecraft and the
Space Launch System for the lunar
Artemis program.
NASA's science division is focused on better understanding Earth through the
Earth Observing System; advancing
heliophysics through the efforts of the
Science Mission Directorate's Heliophysics Research Program; exploring bodies throughout the
Solar System with advanced
robotic spacecraft such as ''
New Horizons'' and
planetary rovers such as ''
Perseverance''; and researching
astrophysics topics, such as the
Big Bang, through the
James Webb Space Telescope, the four
Great Observatories, and associated programs. The
Launch Services Program oversees launch operations for its
uncrewed launches.
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