NASA

NASA is the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the United States federal civilian space agency established in 1958, operating under Congressional authority with approximately $25 billion annual budget. As the primary U.S. space authority, NASA leads deep space exploration, Mars robotic missions, space telescope operations, and the Artemis lunar program, while increasingly collaborating with private contractors like SpaceX and Boeing for operational services. The agency maintains authoritative control over scientific space missions and astronaut training, though faces growing competition from commercial space companies and international agencies in launch services and human spaceflight capabilities.