History of NASA in Timeline

NASA, established in 1958, is the US federal agency responsible for the nation's civil space program, aeronautics, and space research. Succeeding NACA, it focused on peaceful space exploration. Key achievements include Project Mercury, Project Gemini, the Apollo program (1968-1972), Skylab, and the Space Shuttle. Currently, NASA supports the International Space Station (ISS) and the Commercial Crew Program while developing the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System for the Artemis lunar program.

1914: Aviation Section of the US Army Signal Corps Created

In 1914, the United States Congress created the Aviation Section of the US Army Signal Corps, recognizing that the United States was far behind Europe in aviation capability.

1915: NACA Established

In 1915, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was established to foster aeronautical research and development, aiming to regain American leadership in aviation.

1956: Air Force's Man in Space Soonest project formed

In 1956, the Air Force's Man in Space Soonest project, coupled with the Army's Project Adam, served as the foundation for Project Mercury.

February 1, 1958: Explorer 1 Launch

On February 1, 1958, the Army Ballistic Missile Agency launched Explorer 1, America's first satellite, after the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik 1.

July 29, 1958: National Aeronautics and Space Act Signed

On July 29, 1958, NASA was officially established with the signing of the National Aeronautics and Space Act, splitting the United States's military and civil spaceflight programs.

October 1, 1958: NASA Begins Operations

On October 1, 1958, NASA began its operations, marking the start of its role in leading America's space exploration programs.

1958: NASA Established

In 1958, NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, was established as an independent agency of the US federal government. It succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), shifting the US space development effort towards civilian orientation and peaceful space science applications.

1958: National Aeronautics and Space Act Enactment

In 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Act was enacted, establishing NASA's mission to include Earth science study.

1959: NASA Sounding Rocket Program in operation

In 1959, the NASA Sounding Rocket Program (NSRP) began operations at the Wallops Flight Facility, providing launch capabilities, payload development, integration, and field operations support for suborbital missions.

1960: Launch of TIROS

In 1960, NASA launched the Television Infrared Observation Satellite (TIROS), the first weather satellite, in cooperation with the United States Weather Bureau.

May 5, 1961: Alan Shepard's Suborbital Spaceflight

On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American in space, performing a suborbital spaceflight in the Freedom 7 spacecraft.

May 25, 1961: Kennedy's "Urgent National Needs" Speech

On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy openly declared the goal of landing an American on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth by the end of the 1960s in his "Urgent National Needs" speech to the United States Congress.

February 20, 1962: John Glenn's First Orbital Spaceflight

On February 20, 1962, John Glenn conducted NASA's first orbital spaceflight in the Friendship 7, completing three full orbits before re-entry.

September 12, 1962: "We choose to go to the Moon" Speech

On September 12, 1962, President Kennedy gave his "We choose to go to the Moon" speech at Rice University, aiming to reinforce public support for the Apollo program.

May 1963: Gordon Cooper's Mercury Mission

In May 1963, Gordon Cooper flew the sixth and final Mercury mission in the Faith 7, completing 22 orbits over 34 hours.

1964: Attacks on the Moon Landing Goal

In 1964, despite attacks on the goal of landing astronauts on the Moon from figures like Dwight Eisenhower and Barry Goldwater, President Kennedy protected NASA's growing budget, with 50% allocated to human spaceflight.

1967: Formation of Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel

In 1967, following the Apollo 1 accident, Congress directed NASA to form an Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) to advise the NASA Administrator on safety issues and hazards in NASA's air and space programs.

1968: Apollo 8 Orbits the Moon

In 1968, the Apollo 8 was the first crewed spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit and reach the Moon. The crew orbited the Moon ten times on December 24 and 25, and safely returned to Earth.

1968: Apollo program missions

NASA led the Apollo program missions from 1968-1972 which included crewed missions to space.

1969: Apollo 11 landing on the Moon

In 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the Moon using a mix of United States customary units and metric units.

1969: Johnson Space Center designated lead for Space Shuttle orbiter

In 1969, NASA designated the Johnson Space Center as the lead center for the design, development, and manufacturing of the Space Shuttle orbiter. At the same time, the Marshall Space Flight Center would lead the development of the launch system.

1971: NASA Establishes Space Program Advisory Council

By 1971, NASA had established the Space Program Advisory Council to provide the administrator with advisory committee support.

July 23, 1972: Launch of Earth Resources Technology Satellite

On July 23, 1972, the Earth Resources Technology Satellite was launched.

1972: Apollo 17 Concludes Lunar Landings

In 1972, NASA conducted six total lunar landings as part of the Apollo program, with Apollo 17 concluding the program.

1972: Launch of Landsat

In 1972, NASA launched its first dedicated Earth observation satellite, Landsat, leading to joint development with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite and the discovery of Ozone depletion.

1972: Official development of the Space Shuttle began

In 1972, official development of the Space Shuttle began, with Rockwell International contracted to design the orbiter and engines, Martin Marietta for the external fuel tank, and Morton Thiokol for the solid rocket boosters.

1972: Apollo program missions

NASA led the Apollo program missions from 1968-1972 which included crewed missions to space.

1973: Skylab Launched

In 1973, following the end of the Apollo lunar missions, NASA launched its first space station, Skylab, on the final launch of the Saturn V. Skylab reused a significant amount of Apollo and Saturn hardware.

1974: Skylab Decommissioned

In 1974, Skylab hosted nine missions and was decommissioned.

1975: Mariner 9 launched

In 1975, Mariner 9 was launched as the first orbital mission to Mars.

1975: Apollo-Soyuz Mission

In 1975, the Apollo–Soyuz mission marked the first international spaceflight and a major diplomatic accomplishment between the Cold War rivals. It also marked the last flight of the Apollo capsule, where a US Apollo spacecraft docked with a Soviet Soyuz capsule.

1975: Earth Resources Technology Satellite Renamed Landsat 1

In 1975, the Earth Resources Technology Satellite was renamed to Landsat 1.

1976: Viking Program Landings on Mars

In 1976, the Viking program consisted of two landings on Mars, advancing the search for potential life.

1977: Formation of NASA Advisory Council

In 1977, the Space Program Advisory Council and the Research and Technology Advisory Council were combined to form the NASA Advisory Council (NAC).

1977: Voyager Program Launched

In 1977, the Voyager program was launched, conducting flybys of Jupiter and Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus on a trajectory to leave the Solar System.

1979: Skylab Deorbited

In 1979, Skylab was deorbited, two years prior to the first launch of the Space Shuttle.

1981: First Space Shuttle flight

In 1981, the Columbia launched on the STS-1 mission, marking the first Space Shuttle flight. This mission was designed as a flight test for the new spaceplane.

1984: Reagan advocates for a larger space station

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan declared his support for building a larger space station, envisioning it as an orbital laboratory, repair station, and a jumping off point for lunar and Mars missions.

1984: First on-orbit satellite servicing mission

In 1984, the STS-41-C mission, using the Challenger, conducted the world's first on-orbit satellite servicing mission. During the mission, the malfunctioning Solar Maximum Mission satellite was captured and repaired.

1985: NASA proposes Space Station Freedom

In 1985, NASA proposed the Space Station Freedom, intended to be an international program. An international agreement to develop the Space Station Freedom program would be signed with thirteen countries, including the European Space Agency member states, Canada, and Japan.

1986: Challenger disaster

In 1986, the Challenger disaster occurred on the STS-51L mission, resulting in the loss of the spacecraft and all seven astronauts. This event grounded the entire space shuttle fleet for 36 months.

1990: Hubble Space Telescope Launched

In 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched on STS-31 from the Discovery, enabling the observation of galaxies 15 billion light years away.

1990: NASA Launch Services Program

Since 1990, the NASA Launch Services Program (LSP) has purchased expendable launch vehicle launch services directly from commercial providers for its scientific and applications missions.

1991: Compton Gamma Ray Observatory Launched

In 1991, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory was launched from the Atlantis on STS-37, discovering a potential antimatter source at the Milky Way's center and observing that most gamma-ray bursts occur outside the Milky Way.

1992: Space Station Freedom Redesigns

In the early 1990s, several redesigns to reduce cost were conducted in 1992 for the Space Station Freedom, stripping away many of its functions.

1992: Cancellation of the Rockwell X-30 National Aerospace Plane

The Rockwell X-30 National Aerospace Plane program was cancelled in 1992 before reaching flight status due to the end of the Cold War.

September 1993: NASA and Roscosmos cooperation

In September 1993, NASA and Roscosmos began cooperating on the development and operation of the International Space Station, utilizing launch systems from both countries.

1993: Clinton attempts to significantly reduce NASA's budget

In 1993, President Bill Clinton attempted to significantly reduce NASA's budget and directed costs be significantly reduced, aerospace industry jobs were not lost, and the Russians be included in the Space Station Freedom project.

1993: Merger into a single multi-national program

In 1993, US budget constraints led to the merger of these projects into a single multi-national program managed by NASA, the Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

1993: Space Station Freedom becomes the International Space Station

In 1993, the Clinton Administration announced that the Space Station Freedom would become the International Space Station in an agreement with the Russian Federation.

1994: First Russian cosmonaut flies on STS-60 mission

In 1994, the first Russian cosmonaut flew on the STS-60 mission, marking a significant step in international collaboration following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

1996: Mars Global Surveyor and Pathfinder Launched

In 1996, after a long pause in Mars missions, the Mars Global Surveyor orbiter and Mars Pathfinder were launched, deploying the first Mars rover, Sojourner.

1998: End of the Shuttle-Mir program

In 1998, the Shuttle-Mir program came to an end following a series of orbital accidents on the space station.

1998: NASA Mandated to Detect Near-Earth Asteroids

In 1998, the United States Congress gave NASA a mandate to detect 90% of near-Earth asteroids over 1 km in diameter by 2008.

1998: On-orbit assembly began

In 1998, the on-orbit assembly of the International Space Station began, utilizing Russian Proton and Soyuz rockets, and the American Space Shuttle.

1998: Cooperative Actions Scanning for NEOs

Since 1998, the PDCO augmented prior cooperative actions between the United States, the European Union, and other nations which had been scanning the sky for NEOs in an effort called Spaceguard.

September 23, 1999: Loss of Mars Climate Orbiter

On September 23, 1999, a mixup between NASA's use of SI units and Lockheed Martin Space's use of US units resulted in the loss of the Mars Climate Orbiter.

1999: NASA visit to 433 Eros

In 1999, NASA visited 433 Eros with the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft.

1999: Chandra X-ray Observatory Launched

In 1999, the Chandra X-ray Observatory was launched from the Columbia on STS-93, observing black holes, quasars, supernova, and dark matter, and providing key observations on the Sagittarius A* black hole and galactic collisions.

2000: NEAR Shoemaker Enters Orbit

In 2000, the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft entered the orbit of 433 Eros, closely imaging the asteroid with various instruments.

2000: Russian Progress spacecraft service to the ISS

Since 2000, the Russian Progress spacecraft has been providing service to the ISS.

2001: 2001 Mars Odyssey Reaches Mars

In 2001, the 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter reached the planet Mars, continuing NASA's exploration of the Red Planet.

2001: Cancellation of the VentureStar spaceplane

In 2001, the VentureStar spaceplane was cancelled due to technical challenges, despite being the first time a commercial space company directly expended a significant amount of its resources into spacecraft development.

May 8, 2003: EPA Recognizes NASA

On May 8, 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency recognized NASA as the first federal agency to directly use landfill gas to produce energy at one of its facilities—the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland.

2003: NASA relies on Russian Soyuz launches

Following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, NASA was forced to rely on Russian Soyuz launches for its astronauts.

2003: President Bush starts the Constellation program

Following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, President Bush started the Constellation program to replace the Space Shuttle and expand space exploration beyond low Earth orbit.

2003: Columbia disaster

In 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia was destroyed upon reentry during the STS-107 mission, resulting in the loss of the spacecraft and all seven astronauts. This event marked the beginning of the end for the Space Shuttle program.

2003: Spitzer Space Telescope Launched

In 2003, the Spitzer Space Telescope, an infrared telescope, was launched from a Delta II rocket, entering a trailing orbit around the Sun and discovering brown dwarf stars.

2004: MESSENGER Probe Launched to Mercury

In 2004, NASA launched missions to Mercury, with the MESSENGER probe demonstrating the first use of a solar sail.

2004: Spirit and Opportunity Rovers Land on Mars

In 2004, the Spirit and Opportunity rovers landed on Mars, contributing to NASA's ongoing investigation of the planet.

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2005: George E. Brown, Jr. Near-Earth Object Survey Act

In 2005, the George E. Brown, Jr. Near-Earth Object Survey Act was passed, which calls for NASA to detect 90% of NEOs with diameters of 140 m or greater, by 2020.

2005: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Launched

In 2005, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter was launched to further study Mars from orbit.

2005: NASAcast Creation

In late 2005, NASAcast, the official audio and video podcast of the NASA website, was created to provide the latest audio and video features, including NASA TV's This Week at NASA.

2006: Original NASA and Air Force Space Command Agreement

In 2006, NASA and Air Force Space Command signed a document, later replaced by a 2020 memorandum between NASA and the Space Force, outlining a cooperative relationship.

2006: Space Shuttle returns to flight

In 2006, the Space Shuttle returned to flight after the Columbia disaster, conducting several missions to service the Hubble Space Telescope.

2006: New Horizons Mission Launched

Launched in 2006, the New Horizons mission was the first spacecraft to visit Pluto and the Kuiper Belt.

March 18, 2007: NASA EDGE Release

On March 18, 2007, NASA released NASA EDGE, a video podcast exploring different missions, technologies, and projects developed by NASA.

August 2007: NASA's SI System Mandate

In August 2007, NASA stated that all future missions and explorations of the Moon would be done entirely using the SI system to improve cooperation with international space agencies.

2007: Modernization of the National Airspace System

In 2007, NASA began collaborating with the Federal Aviation Administration and industry stakeholders to modernize the United States National Airspace System (NAS).

2007: Phoenix Mars Lander Launched

In 2007, the Phoenix Mars lander was launched, expanding NASA's exploration of Mars.

2008: Initial Mandate Met

In 2008, the original mandate to detect 90% of near-Earth asteroids over 1 km in diameter by 2008 was met.

2008: European Automated Transfer Vehicle service to the ISS

Since 2008, the European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) has been providing service to the ISS.

May 2009: ISS expedition crew size increased to six

Between May 2009 and until the retirement of the Space Shuttle, the ISS expedition crew size has been six crew members.

December 2009: NASA Show Downloads reach 1 million

In December 2009, NASA show Downloads reached 1 million.

2009: Kepler Space Telescope Launched

In 2009, the Kepler space telescope was launched to identify potentially habitable, Earth-like planets orbiting extrasolar stars. The first exoplanet confirmed by Kepler was Kepler-22b.

2009: Completion of the US Orbital Segment

In 2009, the US Orbital Segment of the International Space Station was completed.

2009: WISE mission launched

In 2009, the WISE/NEOWISE mission was launched by NASA JPL as an infrared-wavelength astronomical space telescope.

2009: Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle service to the ISS

Since 2009, the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) has been providing service to the ISS.

January 2010: NASA Show Downloads reach 1 million

In January 2010, NASA show Downloads reached 1 million.

February 2010: NASA show download Rate

As of February 2010, the average download rate of a NASA show is more than 420,000 per month.

2010: LEED Gold Rating for Exploration Sciences Building

In 2010, the Exploration Sciences Building was awarded the LEED Gold rating, highlighting NASA's environmental efforts.

2010: Completion of the Russian Orbital Segment

In 2010, the Russian Orbital Segment of the International Space Station was completed.

2011: Retirement of the Shuttle

Between the retirement of the Shuttle in 2011 and the commencement of crewed Dragon flights in 2020, American astronauts exclusively used the Soyuz for crew transport to and from the ISS.

2011: Initial Mandate Met

By 2011, NASA met the initial mandate to detect 90% of near-Earth asteroids over 1 km in diameter, initially set in 1998.

2011: NASA Addresses Environmental Concerns with Constellation program

In 2011, NASA addressed environmental concerns with its canceled Constellation program in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

2011: Retirement of the Space Shuttle program

In 2011, the Space Shuttle program was retired following the STS-135 resupply mission to the International Space Station.

2011: Wolf Amendment Passed

In 2011, the Wolf Amendment was passed by the US Congress, preventing NASA from engaging in direct, bilateral cooperation with the Chinese government and China-affiliated organizations without explicit authorization.

2011: Retirement of the Space Shuttle accelerates ISS completion

In 2011, the retirement of the Space Shuttle accelerated the completion of the International Space Station.

2011: Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) program start

Since 2011, the ELaNa program has provided opportunities for NASA to work with university teams to test emerging technologies and commercial-off-the-shelf solutions by providing launch opportunities for developed CubeSats using NASA procured launch opportunities.

2012: Curiosity Landing and Discoveries

In 2012, the landing of Curiosity on Mars revealed radiation levels similar to those on the International Space Station and identified key chemical ingredients for life, increasing the prospect of human exploration.

2012: Dragon spacecraft service to the ISS

Since 2012, the (uncrewed) Dragon spacecraft has been providing service to the ISS.

2013: NEOWISE repurposed

In 2013, NASA repurposed WISE as the NEOWISE mission to find potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroids and comets.

2013: Chelyabinsk meteor

In 2013, the Chelyabinsk meteor hit Russia.

2013: MAVEN Mission Observes Martian Atmosphere

In 2013, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission studied the Martian upper atmosphere and space environment.

2013: American Cygnus spacecraft service to the ISS

Since 2013, the American Cygnus spacecraft has been providing service to the ISS.

September 2014: NASA and ISRO partnership for NISAR mission

In September 2014, NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) signed a partnership to collaborate on and launch a joint radar mission, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission.

2014: Cubes in Space Competition start

In 2014, NASA started an annual competition named "Cubes in Space", jointly organized with I Doodle Learning, to teach students aged 11–18 to design and build scientific experiments for space launch.

2014: Reaffirmation of ASAP Importance

In 2014, the NASA Authorization Act reaffirmed the importance of ASAP.

2014: NASA-JAXA Global Precipitation Measurement mission launched

In 2014, the NASA-JAXA Global Precipitation Measurement mission was launched, featuring sensors from both agencies on a NASA satellite launched via a JAXA rocket to provide frequent, accurate rainfall measurements globally.

2014: Liquid Fuel Consumption Comparison

In 2014, the United States consumed 803 million US gallons of liquid fuels per day, while a single Falcon 9 rocket first stage burns around 25,000 US gallons of kerosene fuel per launch.

2016: Planetary Defense Coordination Office Established

In 2016, NASA established the Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) to catalog and track potentially hazardous near-Earth objects (NEO) and develop potential responses and defenses against these threats.

June 21, 2017: Launch of KalamSAT

On June 21, 2017, KalamSAT, the world's smallest satellite, was launched as part of the Cubes in Space program.

2018: Project CAUTION Launch

In 2018, NASA launched the project CAUTION (CoAtings for Ultra High Temperature detectION) along with other companies, aiming to enhance the temperature range of the Thermal History Coating up to 1,500 °C (2,730 °F) and improve jet engine safety, efficiency, and reduce CO2 emissions.

2018: InSight Studies Martian Interior

In 2018, the Interior exploration using Seismic Investigations Geodesy, and Heat Transport (InSight) studied the Martian interior.

2019: NASA announces the Artemis program

In 2019, NASA announced the Artemis program, intending to return to the Moon and establish a permanent human presence. This was paired with the Artemis Accords with partner nations to establish rules of behavior and norms of space commercialization on the Moon.

January 2020: Estimated Time to Find NEOs

In January 2020, NASA officials estimated it would take 30 years to find all objects meeting the 140 m size criteria, more than twice the timeframe that was built into the 2005 mandate.

January 2020: Estimated detection completion date

As of January 2020, it is estimated that less than half of NEOs with diameters of 140 m or greater have been found.

July 29, 2020: Request for Water Extraction Technologies from Lunar Soil

On July 29, 2020, NASA requested American universities to propose new technologies for extracting water from the lunar soil and developing power systems to conduct sustainable exploration of the Moon.

August 2020: NASA EDGE Update

As of August 2020, NASA EDGE has produced 200 vodcasts, offering an insider's look at current projects and technologies from NASA facilities.

September 2020: NASA and Space Force Memorandum of Understanding

In September 2020, the Space Force and NASA signed a memorandum of understanding formally acknowledging the joint role of both agencies.

December 18, 2020: Space Force Commander Commissioned from ISS

On December 18, 2020, Colonel Michael S. Hopkins, the commander of SpaceX Crew-1, commissioned into the Space Force from the International Space Station.

2020: Crewed Dragon flights

Between the retirement of the Shuttle in 2011 and the commencement of crewed Dragon flights in 2020, American astronauts exclusively used the Soyuz for crew transport to and from the ISS.

2020: NASA Wins Webby People's Voice Award

In 2020, NASA won the Webby People's Voice Award for Green in the category Web, recognizing its efforts in climate change research and communication.

June 2021: Development of NEO Surveyor Spacecraft

In June 2021, NASA authorized the development of the NEO Surveyor spacecraft to reduce the projected duration to achieve the mandate down to 10 years.

July 2021: Contract Awards for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Reactors

In July 2021, NASA announced contract awards for the development of nuclear thermal propulsion reactors, with three contractors developing individual designs over 12 months for later evaluation by NASA and the US Department of Energy.

September 27, 2021: Landsat 9 Launch

On September 27, 2021, Landsat 9, the most recent satellite in the Landsat series, was launched.

November 2021: DART Mission Launch

In November 2021, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) was launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 from California on a trajectory designed to impact the Dimorphos asteroid.

2021: James Webb Space Telescope Launched

In 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope, named after the NASA administrator who led the Apollo program, was launched as an infrared observatory to observe the formation of the first galaxies and succeed the Hubble Space Telescope.

2021: Perseverance Rover and Ingenuity Helicopter on Mars

In 2021, the Perseverance rover carried the first extraplanetary aircraft, a helicopter named Ingenuity, to Mars.

May 13, 2022: rHEALTH ONE tested by NASA and SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts

On May 13, 2022, NASA and SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts successfully tested the rHEALTH ONE universal biomedical analyzer for its ability to identify and analyze biomarkers, cells, microorganisms, and proteins in a spaceflight environment, as part of the Human Research Program (HRP).

June 2022: First Commercial Rocket Launch Outside US

In June 2022, NASA conducted its first rocket launch from a commercial spaceport outside the US, launching a Black Brant IX from the Arnhem Space Centre in Australia.

June 2022: NASA's UAP Independent Study Team

In June 2022, Thomas Zurbuchen, confirmed the start of NASA's UAP independent study team to bring a scientific perspective to efforts to make sense of dozens of such sightings.

June 2022: ELaNa 39 mission launch

In June 2022, two NASA-sponsored CubeSats launched on a Virgin Orbit LauncherOne vehicle as the ELaNa 39 mission, as part of the Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) program.

July 2022: NASA and Roscosmos space station flights deal

In July 2022, NASA and Roscosmos signed a deal to share space station flights, enabling crew from each country to ride on the systems provided by the other.

September 2022: Artemis Accords Signatories

As of September 2022, 21 countries have signed the Artemis Accords, which define a framework for cooperation in the peaceful exploration and exploitation of the Moon, Mars, asteroids, and comets.

September 26, 2022: DART Impacts Dimorphos

On September 26, 2022, the DART mission successfully impacted the Dimorphos asteroid.

October 2022: Landsat Satellites Operation

As of October 2022, nine Landsat satellites have been built, with eight successfully operating in orbit, providing a unique resource for global change research and various applications.

2022: X-57 Maxwell scheduled to fly

In mid-2022, NASA's X-57 Maxwell, an experimental all-electric aircraft, was scheduled to conduct its first flights before the end of the year, after completing ground testing.

January 2023: Partnership with DARPA on DRACO program

In January 2023, NASA announced a partnership with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on the Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program to demonstrate a NTR engine in space.

July 2023: Lockheed Martin awarded $499 million to build NTR rocket

In July 2023, NASA and DARPA jointly announced the award of $499 million to Lockheed Martin to design and build an experimental NTR rocket to be launched in 2027.

July 2023: NASA+ Announcement

In July 2023, NASA announced a new streaming service known as NASA+.

November 8, 2023: NASA+ Streaming Service Launch

On November 8, 2023, NASA launched NASA+, a new streaming service providing live coverage of launches, documentaries, and original programs, available ad-free and without subscription fees.

2023: NASA establishes the Moon to Mars Program office

In 2023, NASA established the Moon to Mars Program office. The office is designed to oversee the various projects, mission architectures and associated timelines relevant to lunar and Mars exploration and science.

2023: NEOWISE mission extended

In 2023, NASA extended the NEOWISE mission.

December 23, 2024: Center Directors

As of December 23, 2024, NASA operates 10 major field centers, each led by a director.

2024: ISS expedition crew size

As of 2024, expeditions using the Commercial Program's crew capsules typically consist of a crew of four.

2024: NASA tasked to create a Time standard for the Moon

In 2024, NASA was tasked by the US Government to create a Time standard for the Moon, Coordinated Lunar Time.

2024: Targeted launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperature Radar (NISAR) mission

The NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperature Radar (NISAR) mission, a collaborative effort between NASA and ISRO, is targeted to launch in 2024.

January 20, 2025: Janet Petro Appointed Acting Administrator

On January 20, 2025, Janet Petro was appointed as acting administrator of NASA by President Donald Trump.

2025: ISS as the largest artificial satellite

As of 2025, the ISS is the largest artificial satellite in Earth orbit with a mass and volume greater than that of any previous space station.

2025: Target Date for NAS Modernization Components Delivery

The modernization effort intends to increase the safety, efficiency, capacity, access, flexibility, predictability, and resilience of the NAS while reducing the environmental impact of aviation. The goal is to deliver major modernization components by 2025.

2026: NEO Surveyor Spacecraft Launch

The NEO Surveyor spacecraft, a space-based infrared telescope, is scheduled to launch in 2026 to survey the Solar System for potentially hazardous asteroids.