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Humans in Space

In this Dec. 1993, onboard view from Space Shuttle mission STS-61 shows astronauts Story Musgrave and Jeffrey Hoffman's Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) to repair the Hubble Space Telescope.

Destinations

Earth, Moon, and Mars

With more than 20 years of operations in low Earth orbit, we are preparing our return to the Moon for long-term exploration and discovery before taking the next giant leap to Mars.

Never has humanity endeavored to simultaneously architect multinational infrastructures in lunar orbit, on the lunar surface, and at Mars — all while maintaining high-demand government and private-sector operations in low Earth orbit.

Destinations about Earth, Moon, and Mars
Photo taken from the Orion spacecraft on flight day 13 of the Artemis I flight test. The photo features Orion prominently in the foreground, with "NASA" written on the spacecraft in bold red letters. The Moon is seen in the background, with Earth even farther behind it. Orion reached its maximum distance from Earth during the Artemis I mission when it was 268,563 miles away from our home planet. Orion has now traveled farther than any other spacecraft built for humans.
On flight day 13, Orion reached its maximum distance from Earth during the Artemis I mission when it was 268,563 miles away from our home planet. Orion has now traveled farther than any other spacecraft built for humans.
NASA

Space Station Expedition 70

The Expedition 70 crew began on Sept. 27, 2023. The astronauts and cosmonauts will be studying an array of microgravity phenomena to benefit humans living on and off the Earth. The orbital residents will also explore heart health, cancer treatments, space manufacturing techniques, and more during their long-duration stay in Earth orbit.

Expedition 70 about Space Station Expedition 70
iss070-s-002 (March 6, 2023) --- The official Expedition 70 crew portrait with (top row from left) Roscosmos cosmonauts Nikolai Chub, Konstantin Borisov, and Oleg Kononenko; JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa; and NASA astronaut Loral O'Hara. In the front row are, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and Expedition 70 Commander Andreas Mogensen and NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli.

Why Go to Space

Human space exploration helps to address fundamental questions about our place in the universe and the history of our solar system.

NASA’s exploration vision is anchored in providing value for humanity by answering some of the most fundamental questions: Why are we here? How did it all begin? Are we alone? What comes next? 

Why Go to Space about Why Go to Space
This illustration shows NASA's Cassini spacecraft in orbit around Saturn.
This illustration shows NASA’s Cassini spacecraft in orbit around Saturn. Cassini made 22 orbits that swooped between the rings and the planet before ending its mission on Sept. 15, 2017, with a final plunge into Saturn.
NASA/JPL

Artemis Missions to the Moon

The Artemis era is here. The Artemis I uncrewed flight test flew in 2022, and we are gearing up for the next flight test, this time with four astronauts.

Artemis Missions about Artemis Missions to the Moon
Artemis 1 on launch pad with moon in the background

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Commercial Space

A New Way of Doing Business

This is the commercial space age. NASA and space agencies across the globe are harnessing private-sector innovation in the growing space economy.

Commerical Space about A New Way of Doing Business
Image of Earth's blue ocean of the central pacific ocean
Moonrise over Earth from the Space Shuttle Discovery as it flew over the central Pacific Ocean with stratocumulus clouds below.
NASA

NASA Organizations Leading Humans in Space

A NASA artist's concept of an astronaut in an exploration space suit with the Human Landing System in the background.

Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate

Learn about the directorate responsible for sending human explorers to the Moon and Mars.

A photograph from space of the International Space Station orbiting Earth. The station is a graceful horizontal cylinder with four rectangular solar panels oriented vertically, two on either side of center. In the center are horizontal square panels angled slightly to the right, and science instruments and modules extend out from the center cylinder.

Space Operations Mission Directorate

Learn about the directorate responsible for crew operations in low Earth orbit.

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