NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, is an independent agency of the US federal government established in 1958. It superseded the NACA and leads the nation's civil space program, focusing on aeronautics and space research with a civilian orientation. NASA has spearheaded numerous space exploration endeavors, including Project Mercury, Project Gemini, the Apollo program, Skylab, and the Space Shuttle. Currently, it supports the International Space Station (ISS), the Commercial Crew Program, and oversees the development of the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System for the Artemis lunar program.
In 1914, the United States Congress created the Aviation Section of the US Army Signal Corps, recognizing that it was behind Europe in aviation capability.
In 1915, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was established to foster aeronautical research and development.
In 1956, the Air Force's Man in Space Soonest project was formed, coupled with the Army's Project Adam, which served as the foundation for Project Mercury.
On February 1, 1958, the Army Ballistic Missile Agency launched Explorer 1, America's first satellite.
On July 29, 1958, NASA was established with the signing of the National Aeronautics and Space Act.
On October 1, 1958, NASA began its operations.
In 1958, The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was established as an independent agency of the US federal government. NASA succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).
In 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Act established Earth science study as part of NASA's mission.
In 1959, the NASA Sounding Rocket Program (NSRP) began operations at the Wallops Flight Facility. The program provides launch capabilities, payload development, integration, and field operations support for suborbital missions.
In 1960, the Television Infrared Observation Satellite (TIROS) was launched as the first weather satellite.
On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American to enter space, performing a suborbital spaceflight in the Freedom 7.
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.
On February 20, 1962, John Glenn conducted NASA's first orbital spaceflight in the Friendship 7, making three full orbits before reentering.
On September 12, 1962, President Kennedy gave his "We choose to go to the Moon" speech at Rice University, hoping to reinforce public support for the Apollo program.
In May 1963, Gordon Cooper flew the sixth and final Mercury mission, performing 22 orbits over 34 hours in the Faith 7.
In 1964, despite attacks on the goal of landing astronauts on the Moon from former president Dwight Eisenhower and 1964 presidential candidate Barry Goldwater, President Kennedy was able to protect NASA's growing budget.
In 1967, in response to 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.
In 1968, Apollo 8 became the first crewed spacecraft to leave low Earth orbit and the first human spaceflight to reach the Moon, orbiting it ten times on December 24 and 25.
In 1968, NASA led the Apollo program missions.
In 1969, Apollo 11 landed on the Moon using a mix of United States customary units and metric units.
In 1969, NASA designated the Johnson Space Center as the lead center for the design, development, and manufacturing of the Space Shuttle orbiter. Meanwhile, the Marshall Space Flight Center was assigned the task of leading the development of the launch system.
By 1971, NASA had also established the Space Program Advisory Council to provide the administrator with advisory committee support.
In 1972, NASA conducted six total lunar landings as part of the Apollo program, with Apollo 17 concluding the program.
In 1972, NASA led the Apollo program missions.
In 1972, NASA's first dedicated Earth observation satellite, Landsat, was launched.
In 1972, official development of the Space Shuttle began. Rockwell International was contracted to design the orbiter and engines, Martin Marietta for the external fuel tank, and Morton Thiokol for the solid rocket boosters.
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.
In 1974, Skylab hosted nine missions.
In 1975, the Apollo–Soyuz mission was the first ever international spaceflight and a major diplomatic accomplishment between the Cold War rivals, which also marked the last flight of the Apollo capsule.
In 1976, the Viking program consisted of two landings on Mars.
In 1977, the Space Program Advisory Council and the Research and Technology Advisory Council were combined to form the NASA Advisory Council (NAC).
In 1977, the Voyager program launched, conducting flybys of Jupiter and Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus on a trajectory to leave the Solar System.
In 1979, Skylab was decommissioned and deorbited.
In 1979, after Skylab's reentry, NASA never gave up on the idea of a space station.
In 1981, the first Space Shuttle flight occurred with the launch of the Columbia on the STS-1 mission. This mission served as a flight test for the new spaceplane.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan declared his support for building a larger space station, envisioning it as an orbital laboratory, repair station, and jumping-off point for lunar and Mars missions.
In 1984, during the STS-41-C mission, the Challenger captured and repaired the malfunctioning Solar Maximum Mission satellite. This marked the world's first on-orbit satellite servicing mission.
In 1986, the Challenger disaster occurred on the STS-51L mission, resulting in the loss of the spacecraft and all seven astronauts on launch. This event grounded the entire space shuttle fleet for 36 months and forced commercial companies to return to expendable launch vehicles.
In 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope was launched on STS-31 from the Discovery and could view galaxies 15 billion light years away.
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 whenever possible.
In 1991, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory was launched from the Atlantis on STS-37, discovering a possible source of antimatter at the center of the Milky Way and observing that the majority of gamma-ray bursts occur outside of the Milky Way galaxy.
In 1992, with the end of the Cold War, the Rockwell X-30 National Aerospace Plane program was canceled before reaching flight status.
In the early 1990s, several redesigns were conducted to reduce the cost of the Space Station Freedom. In 1992, much of its functions was stripped away.
In September 1993, NASA and Roscosmos began cooperating on the development and operation of the International Space Station (ISS), utilizing launch systems from both countries.
In 1993, President Bill Clinton attempted to significantly reduce NASA's budget and directed that costs be significantly reduced for the Space Station Freedom.
In 1993, US budget constraints led to the merger of NASA's Space Station Freedom project with the Russian Mir-2 station, the European Columbus station, and the Japanese Kibō laboratory module into a single multi-national International Space Station (ISS) program.
In 1993, the Clinton Administration announced that the Space Station Freedom would become the International Space Station in an agreement with the Russian Federation.
In 1994, the first Russian cosmonaut flew on the STS-60 mission, marking a significant step in collaboration between the Russian Federation and the United States in space exploration.
In 1996, NASA launched the Mars Global Surveyor orbiter and Mars Pathfinder, deploying the first Mars rover, Sojourner.
In 1998, the United States Congress gave NASA a mandate to detect 90% of near-Earth asteroids over 1 km diameter by 2008.
The PDCO augmented prior cooperative actions between the United States, the European Union, and other nations which had been scanning the sky for NEOs since 1998 in an effort called Spaceguard.
The Shuttle-Mir program concluded in 1998, after a series of orbital accidents on the space station, bringing an end to this phase of international collaboration in space.
The on-orbit assembly of the International Space Station (ISS) began in 1998, using components manufactured worldwide and launched by Russian Proton and Soyuz rockets, and the American Space Shuttle.
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.
In 1999, NASA visited 433 Eros with the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft.
In 1999, the Chandra X-ray Observatory was launched from the Columbia on STS-93, observing black holes, quasars, supernova, and dark matter.
In 2000, the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft entered orbit around 433 Eros, closely imaging the asteroid with various instruments at that time.
In 2000, the Russian Progress spacecraft began providing resupply services to the International Space Station (ISS).
During the early 2000s, in 2001, the 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter reached the planet Mars.
In 2001, due to technical challenges, the VentureStar spaceplane program and its Lockheed Martin X-33 demonstrator were cancelled, despite being the first time a commercial space company invested heavily in spacecraft development.
On May 8, 2003, the Environmental Protection Agency recognized NASA as the first federal agency to directly use landfill gas to produce energy at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, NASA was forced to rely on Russian Soyuz launches for its astronauts.
Following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, President Bush started the Constellation program to replace the Space Shuttle and expand space exploration. The Obama Administration later canceled this program.
In 2003, the Columbia was destroyed upon reentry during the STS-107 mission, resulting in the loss of the spacecraft and all seven astronauts. This accident marked the beginning of the end for the Space Shuttle program.
In 2003, the Spitzer Space Telescope was launched from a Delta II rocket and discovered the existence of brown dwarf stars.
In 2004, NASA launched missions to Mercury, with the MESSENGER probe demonstrating as the first use of a solar sail.
In 2004, the Sprit and Opportunity rovers landed on the Red Planet.
In 2005, a mandate was set to detect 90% of NEOs with diameters of 140 m or greater.
In 2005, the original USA Spaceguard mandate was extended by the George E. Brown, Jr. Near-Earth Object Survey Act, which calls for NASA to detect 90% of NEOs with diameters of 140 m or greater, by 2020.
In late 2005, NASAcast, the official audio and video podcast of the NASA website, was created.
In 2006, NASA and Air Force Space Command signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), which was replaced by a new MOU with the Space Force in September 2020.
In 2006, the New Horizons mission was launched as the first spacecraft to visit Pluto and the Kuiper Belt.
In 2006, the Space Shuttle returned to flight after the Columbia disaster, undertaking missions to service the Hubble Space Telescope before its eventual retirement.
On March 18, 2007, NASA released NASA EDGE, a video podcast exploring NASA missions, technologies, and projects.
In August 2007, NASA announced that all future missions and explorations of the Moon would be done entirely using the SI system to improve cooperation with international space agencies.
In 2007, NASA began collaborating with the Federal Aviation Administration and industry stakeholders to modernize the United States National Airspace System (NAS).
By 2008, NASA had a mandate from the US Congress to detect 90% of near-Earth asteroids over 1 km (0.62 mi) diameter.
In 2008, the European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) began providing service to the International Space Station (ISS).
Between May 2009 and until the retirement of the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station's (ISS) expedition crew size increased to six crew members.
In December 2009, NASA EDGE downloads exceeded one million.
In 2009, the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) began providing service to the International Space Station (ISS).
In 2009, the Kepler space telescope was launched to identify planets orbiting extrasolar stars that may be Terran and possibly harbor life.
In 2009, the US Orbital Segment of the International Space Station (ISS) was completed, marking a significant milestone in the station's construction.
In 2009, the WISE/NEOWISE mission was launched by NASA JPL as an infrared-wavelength astronomical space telescope.
In January 2010, NASA EDGE downloads exceeded one million.
As of February 2010, the NASA EDGE video podcast had an average download rate of more than 420,000 per month.
In 2010, NASA's Exploration Sciences Building was awarded the LEED Gold rating for its sustainable design and construction.
In 2010, the Russian Orbital Segment of the International Space Station (ISS) was completed, signifying the full operational capability of the Russian contribution to the station.
Between the retirement of the Space Shuttle in 2011 and the commencement of crewed Dragon flights, American astronauts exclusively used the Soyuz for crew transport to and from the International Space Station (ISS).
By 2011, NASA had met its initial mandate from the US Congress to detect 90% of near-Earth asteroids over 1 km diameter.
In 2011, NASA addressed environmental concerns related to its canceled Constellation program in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
In 2011, the Space Shuttle program was officially retired following the STS-135 resupply mission to the International Space Station.
In 2011, the Space Shuttle was retired. This made Russia the sole provider of delivery of crew and cargo to the International Space Station until the commencement of NASA COTS and crew flights.
In 2011, the retirement of the Space Shuttle accelerated the completion of the International Space Station.
Since 2011, the Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) program has provided launch opportunities for university-developed CubeSats to test emerging technologies.
In 2012, the (uncrewed) Dragon spacecraft began providing service to the International Space Station (ISS).
In 2012, the Curiosity rover discovered that the radiation levels on Mars were equal to those on the International Space Station.
In 2013, NASA repurposed the WISE mission as the NEOWISE mission to find potentially hazardous near-Earth asteroids and comets.
In 2013, the American Cygnus spacecraft began providing service to the International Space Station (ISS).
In 2013, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission observed the Martian upper atmosphere and space environment.
In September 2014, NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) partnered to collaborate on and launch the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission, targeting launch in 2024.
In 2014, NASA and JAXA launched the Global Precipitation Measurement mission. The mission includes both NASA- and JAXA-supplied sensors on a NASA satellite launched on a JAXA rocket. The mission provides frequent, accurate rainfall measurements worldwide.
In 2014, NASA started the annual "Cubes in Space" competition, organized with I Doodle Learning, to teach students to design and build experiments for space launch.
In 2014, the NASA Authorization Act reaffirmed the importance of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP).
In 2014, the United States consumed an average of 803 million US gallons of liquid fuels per day.
In 2016, NASA established the Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO) to catalog and track potentially hazardous near-Earth objects and develop potential responses and defenses against these threats.
On June 21, 2017, KalamSAT, the world's smallest satellite, was launched.
In 2018, NASA and other companies launched the CAUTION (CoAtings for Ultra High Temperature detectION) project to enhance the temperature range of Thermal History Coating for jet engines.
In 2018, the Interior exploration using Seismic Investigations Geodesy, and Heat Transport (InSight) studied the Martian interior.
In 2019, NASA announced the Artemis program, aiming to return to the Moon and establish a permanent human presence, along with the Artemis Accords to establish norms for space commercialization.
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.
As of January 2020, it is estimated that less than half of NEOs with diameters of 140 m or greater had been found, but objects of this size hit the Earth only about once in 2,000 years.
On July 29, 2020, NASA requested American universities to propose new technologies for extracting water from the lunar soil and developing power systems, to help the space agency conduct sustainable exploration of the Moon.
As of August 2020, the NASA EDGE video podcast had produced 200 vodcasts, exploring various NASA missions, technologies, and projects.
In September 2020, the Space Force and NASA signed a memorandum of understanding formally acknowledging the joint role of both agencies. This new memorandum replaced a similar document signed in 2006 between NASA and Air Force Space Command.
On December 18, 2020, Colonel Michael S. Hopkins, the commander of SpaceX Crew-1, was commissioned into the Space Force from the International Space Station.
In 2020, crewed Dragon flights commenced, providing another means of crew transport to and from the International Space Station (ISS).
NASA won the 2020 Webby People's Voice Award for Green in the category Web.
In June 2021, NASA authorized the development of the NEO Surveyor spacecraft to reduce that projected duration to achieve the mandate down to 10 years.
In July 2021, NASA announced contract awards for the development of nuclear thermal propulsion reactors. Three contractors will develop individual designs over 12 months for later evaluation by NASA and the US Department of Energy.
On September 27, 2021, Landsat 9, the most recent satellite in the Landsat program series, was launched as a joint NASA/USGS program.
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.
In 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope, an infrared observatory, was launched as a direct successor to the Hubble Space Telescope, intended to observe the formation of the first galaxies.
In 2021, the Perseverance rover carried the first extraplanetary aircraft, a helicopter named Ingenuity.
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.
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.
In June 2022, the head of the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Thomas Zurbuchen, confirmed the start of NASA's UAP independent study team, bringing a scientific perspective to efforts to make sense of dozens of such sightings.
In June 2022, two NASA-sponsored CubeSats launched on a Virgin Orbit LauncherOne vehicle as part of the ELaNa 39 mission.
In July 2022, NASA and Roscosmos signed an agreement to share space station flights, allowing crew members from each country to travel on the other's systems.
As of September 2022, 21 countries have signed the Artemis Accords, which define a framework for cooperation in the peaceful exploration of the Moon, Mars, asteroids, and comets.
On September 26, 2022, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) hit its target, the Dimorphos asteroid.
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.
In 2022, NASA's X-57 Maxwell experimental aircraft completed ground testing, with its first flights scheduled before the end of the year. The goal is to demonstrate technologies for an efficient all-electric aircraft.
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, an enabling capability for NASA missions to Mars.
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.
In July 2023, NASA announced the upcoming launch of NASA+, a new streaming service that will offer live launch coverage, documentaries, and original programming free of charge.
On November 8, 2023, NASA launched NASA+, a new streaming service featuring live coverage of launches, documentaries, and original programs, available on various platforms without ads or subscription fees.
In 2023, NASA established the Moon to Mars Program office, designed to oversee lunar and Mars exploration projects, mission architectures, and associated timelines.
In 2023, the NEOWISE mission's operations were extended to continue the search for near-Earth asteroids and comets.
As of December 23, 2024, the data pertaining to the directors of NASA's 10 major field centers and their subordinate facilities is valid.
As of 2024, while the Commercial Program's crew capsules can accommodate up to seven crew members, expeditions to the International Space Station (ISS) typically consist of a crew of four.
In 2024, NASA was tasked by the US Government to create a Time standard for the Moon, called Coordinated Lunar Time.
In 2024, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) mission is targeted to launch as a collaborative effort between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
On January 20, 2025, Janet Petro was appointed as acting administrator of NASA by President Donald Trump.
As of 2025, the International Space Station (ISS) is the largest artificial satellite in Earth orbit, surpassing any previous space station in mass and volume and is visible from earth.
By 2025, the goal is to deliver major modernization components to increase the safety, efficiency, capacity, access, flexibility, predictability, and resilience of the NAS while reducing the environmental impact of aviation.
In 2026, the NEO Surveyor spacecraft is scheduled to launch to survey the Solar System for potentially hazardous asteroids.
In 2026, the Time standard for the Moon, called Coordinated Lunar Time, is expected to be finalized.
In 2027, Lockheed Martin is expected to launch the experimental NTR rocket designed and built under contract with NASA and DARPA.
The International Space Station (ISS) program is expected to continue until 2030, after which the space station will be retired and destroyed in a controlled de-orbit.
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