What does NASA do?
The mission of NASA clearly states pioneering the future in space exploration, aeronautics research and scientific discovery. To achieve this mission a number of people are working throughout the world. While on their way to achieve the goal, people came across a number of questions like what is there in space. How to get there? What can we learn there? What will we find, etc and many such type of questions?
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) were established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in the year 1958. It developed a technology through the Gemini and Mercury projects needed for the journey. Today NASA conducts its work in 4 principle organizations that are referred as mission directorates. These organizations include:
Aeronautics- it pioneers and proves the new technologies of flight that improves the ability to explore that has practical applications on the planet earth.
Science: It explores the Mars, Moon, and Earth and beyond, graphs the best route of discovery and reaps the benefits of Earth and space exploration for the entire society, as a whole.
Exploration Systems: it creates new spacecraft and capabilities for the sustainable, affordable and robotic exploration.
Space Operations: it offers critical enabling techniques for much of the NASA through the Space shuttle, flight support and the international space station.
In the mid of 21st century the reach of NASA has spanned the universe. It is recommended that in the next twenty years, NASA will lay the groundwork to send the human beings not only beyond the orbit of the earth, but further into the space where they have never been. Its next pre-defined goals are to complete the international space station and retire the space shuttle by the year 2010. Start the robotic missions to the moon by the year 2008 and return people there by the year 2020. Continue the robotic exploration of the Solar system and the Mars and develop a team exploration vehicle along with the other technologies needed to send the individuals beyond the low earth orbit.
The constellation program of NASA is on the move again. It is developing a new space transportation system that is designed to travel beyond the low earth orbit to the previously established human presence on the moon and then proceed to go on the mars and other such destinations. This program encourages science, exploration, commerce and the US preeminence in space. It is something more than the flags and footprints that help us to learn more about the universe by exploring it and seeing it for ourselves.
NASA has also implemented the SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) and the STTR (Small Business Technology transfer) programs. They offer great opportunities for high-tech; small companies as well as the research institutions to contribute in the research efforts sponsored by the government in the key technology areas. It keeps on encouraging the small business concerns to take full advantage of these important sources of seed funding for the development of innovations.
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