NASA

American  

[nas-uh] / ˈnæs ə /

noun

1. National Aeronautics and Space Administration: the federal agency that institutes and administers the civilian programs of the U.S. government that deal with aeronautical research and the development of launch vehicles and spacecraft.

---

NASA British  

/ ˈnæsə /

acronym

1. National Aeronautics and Space Administration

---

Usage

What is NASA? NASA is short for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, a civilian agency of the United States government that specializes in space exploration and research about flight and aircraft. Aeronautics is the science of flight. Although NASA is most known for space travel and research, it also researches things like supersonic flight, energy-efficient aircraft, and drones. Over the years, NASA has advanced space exploration and made many contributions to science. Its notable programs and missions have included astronaut moon landings, Mars rovers, satellites around planets, and interstellar telescopes. One of NASA’s earliest and most famous programs was the Apollo program, which put the first person on the moon on July 20, 1969. NASA runs numerous missions and programs at its facilities across the United States.

Example Sentences

The research team includes scientists from institutions across the United States, Europe, and Asia, including MIT, NASA, NOAA, and several universities and research centers.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

The White House is calling on NASA, within 30 days, to initiate a program to develop nuclear reactors for propulsion systems and the lunar surface.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

The explosion happened two days after launch, taking out a second tank as well as the command module’s normal supply of electricity, light and water, according to NASA.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

Paired with video sourced from NASA, it left the audience transfixed.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

When Webb got up to speak, he announced that Jerrie Cobb had been named a consultant for NASA.

From "Women in Space" by Karen Bush Gibson