Mission Directorates

  • NASA's two modified F-15B research aircraft in flight

    Aeronautics Research  →

    NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate works to solve the challenges that still exist in our nation's air transportation system: air traffic congestion, safety and environmental impacts.

  • Mission Specialist Steve Bowen performs a spacewalk

    Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate

    The Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate provides the Agency with leadership and management of NASA space operations related to human exploration in and beyond low-Earth orbit.

  • A small portion of one of the largest seen star-birth regions in the galaxy, the Carina Nebula

    Science  →

    NASA's Science Mission Directorate and the nation's science community use space observatories to conduct scientific studies of the Earth from space to visit and return samples from other bodies in the solar system, and to peer out into our Galaxy and beyond.

  • Space Technology Mission Directorate

    Space Technology

    The Space Technology Mission Directorate is responsible for developing the crosscutting, pioneering, new technologies and capabilities needed to achieve NASA's current and future missions.

General Overview

  • NASA Education Offices

    Strategic management of the NASA education portfolio requires the participation of the Office of Education, the four Mission Directorates and all ten NASA Centers.