NASA

NASA stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. It is the space agency of the United States. NASA was created in 1958 to explore space. It has sent people to the Moon and robots to other planets. NASA also studies Earth and the Sun.

What NASA Does

NASA builds rockets, satellites, and spacecraft. It trains astronauts to live and work in space. It also sends robots called rovers to explore planets like Mars. NASA scientists study the weather and climate. They share their discoveries with everyone.

The NASA headquarters building in Washington, D.C.
The NASA headquarters building in Washington, D.C. (NASA / Wikimedia Commons)

Big Achievements

NASA has done many amazing things. It landed people on the Moon during the Apollo program. It built the Space Shuttle and helped build the space station. It launched powerful telescopes like Hubble and James Webb. Now NASA is planning to send people back to the Moon and on to Mars.

Fun Facts

  • NASA has over 17,000 employees.
  • The NASA logo is nicknamed 'the meatball.'
  • NASA invented memory foam used in mattresses.

Did You Know?

NASA headquarters is in Washington, D.C., but it has centers all over the United States.