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Why We Explore
Why Do We Explore?
From the time of our birth, humans have felt a primordial urge to explore -- to blaze new trails, map new lands, and answer profound questions about ourselves and our universe.
Exploration History
This Month in Exploration
Visit every month to find out how aviation and space exploration have improved life for humans on Earth and in space.
Conferences and Speeches
Exploration Latest News
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NASA's LCROSS Impacts Confirm Water in Lunar Crater
11.13.09 - Preliminary data from NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, indicates the mission successfully uncovered water in a permanently shadowed lunar crater.
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NASA Briefs Preliminary Plume Findings from Moon Mission
11.10.09 - NASA will hold a news conference Friday to talk about early science results from its successful moon impacting mission, the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS.
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NASA's Ares I-X Rocket Completes Successful Flight Test
10.28.09 - NASA's Ares I-X test rocket lifted off at 11:30 a.m. EDT Wednesday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a two-minute powered flight.
Media Resources
› Quicktime Full Size (43 MB -- right click to download)
› Windows Media Full Size
Exploration Strategy and Lunar Architecture, Dec. 4, 2006
› Lunar Surface Animation (14 MB QuickTime - right-click or control-click to download)
High Definition:
 120 MB |  120 MB |
 76 MB |  76 MB |
 32 MB |  32 MB |
Global Exploration Strategy
› Global Exploration Strategy Framework, May 31, 2007
› Global Exploration Strategy Frequently Asked Questions
› Global Exploration Strategy and Lunar Architecture Briefing Transcript (76 KB PDF)
› Briefing Charts (3.5 MB PDF)
Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite:
› View Site
The Vision for Space Exploration:
› 1.9 MB PDF | › 5.3 MB PDF
President's Commission Report:
› Read Report (1.3 MB PDF) | › President's Statement
More Resources:
› State Leaders Support the Vision
› Administrator's Speeches
› Budget Requests
Fact Sheets
Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle
› Fact Sheet (PDF 1.5 MB)
Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle
› Fact Sheet (PDF, 257 KB)
Ares V Cargo Vehicle
› Fact Sheet (PDF, 949 KB)
Altair Lunar Lander
› Fact Sheet (PDF 1.7 MB)
Lunar Electric Rover
› Fact Sheet (5.2 MB PDF)
More Fact Sheets
Analog Field Testing › Fact Sheet (2.2 MB PDF)
Orion Launch Abort System › Fact Sheet (PDF 195 kb)
Ares I-X Flight Test Vehicle › Fact Sheet (PDF, 397 KB)
Ares I First Stage › Fact Sheet (PDF, 829 KB)
Ares I Upper Stage › Fact Sheet (479 KB PDF)
J-2X Engine › Fact Sheet (2.7 MB PDF)
Media Contacts
NASA Headquarters:
Grey Hautaluoma
202-358-0668
grey.hautaluoma-1@nasa.gov
Ashley Edwards
202-358-1756
ashley.edwards-1@nasa.gov
Ames Research Center:
Rachel Prucey
650-604-0643
rachel.l.prucey@nasa.gov
Dryden Flight Research Center:
Leslie Williams
661-276-3893
leslie.a.williams@nasa.gov
Glenn Research Center:
Katherine Martin
216-433-2406
katherine.martin@nasa.gov
Goddard Space Flight Center:
Nancy Neal-Jones
301-286-0039
nancy.n.jones@nasa.gov
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
DC Agle
818-393-9011
agle@jpl.nasa.gov
Johnson Space Center:
Lynnette Madison
281-483-5111
lynnette.b.madison@nasa.gov
Josh Byerly
281-483-5111
josh.byerly@nasa.gov
Kylie Clem
281-483-5111
kylie.s.clem@nasa.gov
Kennedy Space Center:
Amber Philman
321-861-0370
amber.n.philman@nasa.gov
George Diller
321-867-2468
george.h.diller@nasa.gov
Langley Research Center:
Keith Henry
757-864-6120
h.k.henry@nasa.gov
Emily Outen
757-864-7022
emily.s.outen@nasa.gov
Marshall Space Flight Center:
June Malone
256-544-0034
june.e.malone@nasa.gov
Stennis Space Center:
Paul Foerman
228-688-1880
paul.foerman-1@nasa.gov
Wallops Flight Facility
Keith Koehler
757-824-1579
keith.a.koehler@nasa.gov