The NASA

What Does NASA Do?
NASA's vision: To reach for new heights and reveal the unknown so that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind.

To do that, thousands of people have been working around the world -- and off of it -- for 50 years, trying to answer some basic questions. What's out there in space? How do we get there? What will we find? What can we learn there, or learn just by trying to get there, that will make life better here on Earth?

The NASA Organization
NASA Headquarters, in Washington, provides overall guidance and direction to the agency, under the leadership of the Administrator. Ten field centers and a variety of installations conduct the day-to-day work, in laboratories, on air fields, in wind tunnels and in control rooms.

NASA Today
NASA conducts its work in three principal organizations, called mission directorates:
    - Aeronautics: pioneers and proves new flight technologies that improve our ability to explore and which have practical applications on Earth.
    - Human Exploration and Operations: focuses on International Space Station operations and human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.
    - Science: explores the Earth, solar system and universe beyond; charts the best route of discovery; and reaps the benefits of Earth and space exploration for society.

In the early 21st century, NASA's reach spans the universe. The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity is still studying Mars after arriving with its twin Spirit in 2004. Cassini is in orbit around Saturn, as Juno makes its way to Jupiter. The restored Hubble Space Telescope continues to explore the deepest reaches of the cosmos.

Closer to home, the latest crew of the International Space Station is extending the permanent human presence in space. Earth Science satellites are sending back unprecedented data on Earth's oceans, climate and other features. NASA's aeronautics team is working with other government organizations, universities, and industry to fundamentally improve the air transportation experience and retain our nation's leadership in global aviation.

NASA in The Future
The end of the space shuttle program does not mean the end of NASA, or even of NASA sending humans into space. NASA has a robust program of exploration, technology development and scientific research that will last for years to come." ... more

The NASA three directorates
    - Aeronautics: pioneers and proves new flight technologies that improve our ability to explore and which have practical applications on Earth.
    - Human Exploration and Operations: focuses on International Space Station operations and human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.
    - Science: explores the Earth, solar system and universe beyond; charts the best route of discovery; and reaps the benefits of Earth and space exploration for society."

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory at NASA
"The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, managed by the California Institute of Technology, is NASA's lead center for robotic exploration of the solar system. Our spacecraft have visited all the planets in our solar system except Pluto. JPL telescopes are observing distant galaxies in the universe to study how our solar system was formed. JPL manage also the worldwide Deep Space Network, which communicates with spacecraft and conducts scientific investigations from its complexes in California's Mojave Desert near Goldstone; near Madrid, Spain; and near Canberra, Australia. JPL cameras and sensors are aboard satellites circling Earth to study the ozone, oceans and other Earth sciences. To support our continued exploration, JPL is making advances in technology with new instruments and computer programs to help our spaceships travel further and our telescopes see farther than ever before" ... JPL Site map

Asteroid Watch - Mars Exploration - PlanetQuest - Spitzer - Solar System Exploration - Global Climate Change - Cassini - Mars Science Lab

The Kennedy Space Center

KSC is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) center of excellence for launch and payload processing systems as well as the lead center for acquisition and management of expendable launch vehicle services and payload carriers.

Located at the Cape Canaveral Spaceport in Florida, we handle the checkout, launch and landing of the Space Shuttle and its payloads.

Because KSC is the starting point of all U.S. human space flights, we continue to draw worldwide attention." (Roy D. Bridges, Jr.) ... more

Ames Research Center
Ames is one of ten NASA field centers. It is located at the core of the research cluster of high-tech companies, start-ups, world-class universities and national laboratories that define the San Francisco/San Jose Bay Area region's character.

Ames plays a critical role in virtually all NASA aeronautical and space exploration endeavors, conducting the research and developing the technologies that enable NASA missions.

Ames Research Center
"As a research center, Ames has a heavy focus on science, and is the host of the NASA Astrobiology Institute and NASA Lunar Science Institute virtual organizations. Ames is the lead center for the Kepler mission's search for Earth-sized planets in the habitable zone outside of our solar system, and the science lead for the SOFIA airborne infrared telescope. The Ames family includes researchers in biosciences, bioengineering, radiation and space biotechnology, earth science, airborne science, biosphere science, atmosphere science, astrophysics, planetary systems and exobiology. Ames research focuses on topics from the effects of gravity on living things to the nature and distribution of celestial bodies, planets and life in the universe.

Ames is a leader in information technology research with a focus on supercomputing, networking and intelligent systems. The center also has strong expertise and facilities in support of fundamental space biology, biotechnology, aerospace and thermal protection systems, small satellite missions, nanotechnology, simulation and modeling, wind tunnels, air traffic management and human factors research.

Ames Research Center (Silicon Valley) enables exploration through selected development, innovative technologies, and interdisciplinary scientific discovery. Ames provides leadership in: astrobiology, small satellites, robotic lunar exploration, technologies for exploration, the search for habitable planets, supercomputing, intelligent/adaptive systems, advanced thermal protection, airborne astronomy" ... more

Ames Current Missions
LCROSS - Kepler - SOFIA (Joint Venture) - Small Satellite Missions

THE DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER
The Dryden Flight Research Center, located at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., is NASA's premier installation for atmospheric flight research and operations. NASA Dryden plays a vital role in carrying out the agency's missions of space exploration, space operations, scientific discovery, and aeronautical research and development.

Research Facilities
Research Facilities at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center provide its pilots, engineers, scientists and technicians a unique and highly specialized capability to conduct flight research programs unmatched anywhere in the world. These facilities incorporate advanced and innovative processes to meet our customers' evolving requirements on time, every time.

These facilties include:
    - Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility (DAOF)
    - Flight Loads Laboratory (FLL)
    - Flow Visualization Facility
    - Western Aeronautical Test Range (WATR)
    - Walter C. Williams Research Aircraft Integration Facility (RAIF)" ... more

The Johnson Space Center
NASA Astronaut Corps
"JSC is home to the NASA astronaut corps and is responsible for training space explorers from the United States and our space station partner nations."
Mission Control Center
"The Mission Control Center at Johnson Space Center directs all space shuttle missions, including international space station assembly flights. MCC also manages all activity onboard the international space station."
International Space Station
"JSC serves as the lead NASA center for the International Space Station -- a U.S.-led collaborative effort of 16 nations, and the largest, most powerful, complex human facility to ever operate in space." ... more

Johnson Space Center Laboratories
ARES - Robonaut - Technology Transfer - ASPL

Marshall Space Flight Center
"The Marshall Space Flight Center's capabilities and experience are essential to nearly every facet of NASA's mission of exploration and discovery.

The Marshall team is leading development of NASA's Space Launch System, or SLS, the next advanced, heavy-lift launch vehicle. The Space Launch System will carry human explorers, their equipment, cargo and science payloads to the International Space Station and also send them on new missions beyond low-Earth orbit. We're also developing safe, affordable vehicles, systems and technologies, delivering the means to enable astronauts to live and work safely and more comfortably in the harsh space environment -- whether it's in the space station's active research facilities or during long-term, deep-space expeditions yet to come.

We're preparing the way for human and robotic excursions to points all across the solar system, and developing robust science missions to further our understanding of our planet and our universe. All these efforts contribute to enabling and preparing the way for long-term, high-value research and discovery missions in deep space, and to creating real benefits for the people of Earth." ... more

The Stennis Space Center
Engineering and Test Directorate
The Engineering & Test Directorate is responsible for the safe operation of one-of-a-kind national test facilities and oversight of several rocket engine propulsion test programs.

Applied Science and Technology Project Office
The Applied Science and Technology Project Office (ASTPO) at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center has extensive expertise in the areas of:
    - Remote sensing
    - Image and signal processing
    - Scientific instrument development
    - Oceanography
    - Ecosystem Monitoring
    - Program management" ... more

The Goddard Space Flight Center
"NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center is home to the nation's largest organization of combined scientists, engineers and technologists that build spacecraft, instruments and new technology to study the Earth, the sun, our solar system, and the universe.

Named for American rocketry pioneer Dr. Robert H. Goddard, the center was established in 1959 as NASA's first space flight complex. Goddard and its several facilities are critical in carrying out NASA's missions of space exploration and scientific discovery."... more

The Wallops Flight Facility
"NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Flight Facility, located on Virginia's Eastern Shore, was established in 1945 by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, as a center for aeronautic research.

Wallops is now NASA's principal facility for management and implementation of suborbital research programs. The Wallops Mission Plan includes the following objectives:

    1 To help achieve NASA's strategic objectives for scientific and educational excellence through cost efficient integration, launch, and operations of suborbital and small orbital payloads.
    2 To enable scientific, educational, and economic advancement by providing the facilities and expertise to enable frequent flight opportunities for a diverse customer base.
    3 To serve as a key facility for operational test, integration, and certification of NASA and commercial next-generation, low-cost orbital launch technologies.
    4 To pioneer productive and innovative government, industry, and academic partnerships.

The research and responsibilities of Wallops Flight Facility are centered around the philosophy of providing a fast, low cost, highly flexible and safe response to meet the needs of the United States' aerospace technology interests and science research. NASA also opens its unique facilities to industry for space and aeronautics research." ... more

Programs at Wallops
Sounding Rockets - Balloon Program - Aircraft Office - Wallops Range and Mission Mangement Office

White Sands Test Facility
White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) conducts simulated mission duty cycle testing to develop numerous full-scale propulsion systems. These systems have been developed for the Apollo Service Propulsion and Lunar modules, Shuttle Orbiter, and the International Space Station (ISS). Additionally, we evaluate upgraded or redesigned shuttle orbiter components to extend service life, enhance performance, and improve mission safety. WSTF is formally certified to perform precision cleaning and depot-level refurbishment of flight-critical propulsion systems components.

The scientific investigation of explosion phenomena at WSTF is aimed at improving safety at launch facilities and other areas where hazardous materials are used. Ultra-high-speed instrumentation helps better define safety and structural requirements for new and existing launch facilities by measuring the effects of exploding liquid and solid propellants.

WSTF is a center of technical excellence in the fields of high-pressure oxygen systems/materials and rocket propellant safety. WSTF offers:
    - Functional and performance evaluation tests
    - Hazards/failure analyses of materials, components, and complete systems
    - System design evaluation and recommendations
    - Safety training courses and manuals " ... more

WSTF Capabilities
Propulsion Test Office - Materials and Components - Technical Services Office - Health, Safety, and Environment

The Glenn Research Center
"NASA's Glenn Research Center was founded in 1941 by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which was the precursor to NASA. Glenn was initially called the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory. After several name changes, in 1999 it received its current name, the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center. The center was named in honor of former senator John H. Glenn, an Ohioan who was the first American to orbit Earth when he piloted "Friendship 7" around the globe three times in 1962

Located near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and the Cleveland Metroparks' Rocky River Reservation, Glenn's main campus, Lewis Field, is situated on 350 acres of land and contains more than 150 buildings. The world-class facilities at Lewis Field include wind tunnels, drop towers, vacuum chambers and an aircraft hangar. Glenn's Plum Brook Station is located 50 miles west of Cleveland in Sandusky, Ohio, on 6,400 acres of land. Plum Brook Station has large, unique facilities that simulate the environment of space."... more

Glenn Research Center
Shuttle - Station - Technology Areas - Exploration - Aeronautics

The Langley Research Center
"When the United States decided to return to the moon, NASA returned to where the U.S. space program started, near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in Hampton, Va. NASA's Langley Research Center was the initial home of the first astronauts, the Mercury 7. Now Langley is working to design and test a new launch abort system for the next generation space capsules.

Langley is known for solving the tough problems in air, space and earth science. Its reputation for exceptional research started soon after Langley was established as the United States' first civilian aeronautics laboratory in 1917.

Researchers at Langley focus on some of the biggest technical challenges of our time: global climate change, access to space and revolutionizing airplanes and the air transportation system."... more

Langley Research Areas
Aeronautics - Atmospheric Sciences - Exploration

NASA Headquarters
"NASA Headquarters, in Washington, provides overall guidance and direction to the agency, under the leadership of the Administrator. Ten field centers and a variety of installations around the country conduct the day-to-day work in laboratories, on air fields, in wind tunnels, and in control rooms. Together, this skilled, diverse group of scientists, engineers, managers, and support personnel share the Vision, Mission, and Values that are NASA.

To implement NASA's Mission, NASA Headquarters is organized into three principal organizations called
Mission Directorates:
    - Aeronautics: Pioneers and proves new flight technologies that improve our ability to explore and which have practical applications on Earth.
    - Human Exploration and Operations: Focuses on International Space Station operations and human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.
    - Science: Explores the Earth, moon, Mars, and beyond; charts the best route of discovery; and reaps the benefits of Earth and space exploration for society."... more

NASA Headquarters
Aeronautics - Human Exploration and Operations - Science

NASA IV&V Program
"Located in the heart of West Virginia's emerging technology sector, the NASA IV&V Program was established in 1993 as part of an Agency-wide strategy to provide the highest achievable levels of safety and cost-effectiveness for mission critical software. The NASA IV&V Program was founded under the NASA Office of Safety and Mission Assurance (OSMA) as a direct result of recommendations made by the National Research Council (NRC) and the Report of the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident.

Since then, the NASA IV&V Program has experienced continual growth in personnel, projects, capabilities, and accomplishments. NASA IV&V efforts have contributed to NASA's improved safety record since the NASA IV&V Program's inception. Today, independent verification and validation (IV&V) is an Agency-level function, delegated from OSMA to Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and managed by NASA IV&V. The NASA IV&V Program's primary business, software IV&V, is sponsored by OSMA as a software assurance technology. Having been reassigned as GSFC, NASA IV&V is Code 180 (Center Director's direct report).

The NASA IV&V Program houses over 150 full-time employees and leverages the expertise of in-house partners and contractors."... more