Founded in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency of the United States government that conducts space exploration, research, and development. The agency is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and employs more than 17,000 people. Its mission is to explore the universe and improve the quality of life on Earth. The agency is divided into four mission directorates: Science, Space Technology, Human Exploration and Operations, and Space Operations.
NASA is responsible for advancing space science and technology and conducting research to advance the understanding of the universe and the solar system. NASA has launched many earth-orbiting satellites that have been used for weather forecasting, navigation, and other scientific applications. It has also conducted robotic and mechanical space missions to explore other planets in the solar system. In the future, NASA hopes to explore the Moon and Mars, and to build human settlements on these planets.
NASA has been instrumental in the construction of the International Space Station, which is a modular spacecraft that houses astronauts. In addition, NASA has sent several landers to Mars. The agency is also aiming to land the first person of colour on the Moon. The agency is also planning to land on the Moon again in the next few years, and has begun to explore the possibilities of lunar bases.
NASA’s history is marked with many accomplishments, such as the first manned mission to the Moon, the first woman in space, and the first Black American in space. It also contains many tragic setbacks. Two space shuttles were lost: Columbia and Challenger. One was destroyed in 1986, and another in 2003.