What is the full form of NASA

NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASA is a USA government agency. It works for civilian space program as well as for aeronautics, scientific discovery and aerospace research. It was established in 1958 by president Dwight D. Eisenhower. It is focused on the development of peaceful applications (rather than military) in space science.

NASA Headquarters, in Washington provides overall guidance and direction to the agency. It works in the area of four principal organizations.

1) Aeronautics: Its research focused on meeting the requirement of global demands as more environmental friendly and sustainable aviation technology.

2) Human Exploration and Operations: It focuses on international space station operations and development of commercial spaceflight.

3) Science: It explores the earth and other planets in the solar system, finds out the best route of discovery for the benefit of society.

4) Space Technology: It develops innovative and revolutionary technologies that enables NASA future mission for the befit of nation and Human being.

Space Flight Programs

NASA has conducted both manned and unmanned space flight programs.

NASA is most famous for its space flight programs both manned and unmanned.

1) Manned Space Programs

Following is the list of some big missions of NASA manned space program.

• X-15 Rocket Plane: (1959-1968)
• Project Mercury: (1959-1963)
• Project Gemini: (1961-1966)
• Project Apollo: (1961-1972): Apollo was the one of the most expensive NASA scientific program ever. It cost more than $20 billion in 1960. At present time, its estimated value is almost $205 billion. The first Moon landing manned spacecraft was Apollo 11 mission in July 1969. The first person who land on the Moon was Neil Armstrong.
• Skylab: (1965-1979)
• Space Shuttle Program: (1972-2011) etc.

2) Unmanned Space Programs

There are more than 1000 unmanned missions have been designed to explore the earth and other planets in the solar system. NASA also launches communication satellites for the welfare of human society.

List of some important unmanned space programs:

• Explorer 1 : The first US unmanned satellite.
• Viking 1: The first successful landing on mars in 1976.
• Pioneer 10: First spacecraft to visit Jupiter.
• Pioneer 11: First spacecraft to visit Saturn.
• Voyager 2: First spacecraft to visit Uranus and Neptune etc.