What is NASA?
NASA has employees hard at work on Earth, in the lab and in various places in and around the air and space. NASA stands for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA is a United States government agency that is responsible for science and technology related to air and space. The Space Age started in 1957 with the launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik. NASA was created in 1958. The agency was created to oversee U.S. space exploration and aeronautics research. The main office is located in Washington, DC and exercises management over the NASA Field Centers.
What Does NASA Do?
Many people are aware of some of NASA’s major responsibilities, but not all them. Astronauts in orbit conduct scientific research that is later used in daily life. Satellites help scientists learn more about Earth. Space probes study the solar system, and beyond to help improve weather predictions. New developments improve air travel and other aspects of flight. NASA is also beginning a new program to send humans to explore asteroids, Mars and beyond.
The agency shares discoveries to make life better for people all over the world. Information received from NASA research has helped countless companies to develop technology to create the innovative products people use every day around the world.
In addition, NASA’s Education Office helps teachers to prepare the next generation of students who will become future engineers, scientists and astronauts. NASA also offers training to assist teachers in learning new ways to teach science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Latest News at NASA!
Follow the links in the stories to learn more about the great work being done at NASA.
Juno’s Latest Close Flyby of Jupiter 
NASA’s Juno spacecraft made its latest close flyby of Jupiter Thursday, Feb. 2, passing about 2,700 miles above the planet’s clouds. During these close passes instruments on the spacecraft probe beneath the cloud cover to collect scientific data about the planet’s structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere. This information could help us better understand the planetary systems being discovered around other stars.
Cassini Sees Saturn’s Rings in Greater Detail
From Jupiter to Saturn… where the Cassini spacecraft has returned some of the closest, most detailed images of that planet’s outer ring system. Cassini is in the “Ring-Grazing” phase of its mission — during which its orbital path repeatedly takes it through the gap between Saturn and its rings. This will continue until late April – when Cassini begins its final phase.
According to findings announced Monday, Jan. 30, NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has identified the farthest gamma-ray blazars observed to date. These are galaxies that can discharge more than two trillion times the energy output of our sun – with intense emissions caused by supersized black holes. The light seen from the most distant object in these blazars began traveling to Earth when the universe was about 1.4 billion years old.
Contact Shertina Mack at s.mack@TheBayNet.com
