NASA Science
NASA Science seeks to discover the secrets of the universe, search for life elsewhere, and protect and improve life on Earth and in space.
explorer poster series
artifical intelligence
NASA's 2024 Accomplishments
Featured Missions
Our mission milestones showcase the breadth and depth of NASA science.
Lunar Trailblazer
Launching in 2024, the goal of Lunar Trailblazer is to understand the form, abundance, and distribution of water on the Moon, and the lunar water cycle.
NISAR
Launching in 2025, NISAR will systematically map Earth and study changes to ice sheets, glaciers, and sea ice in fine detail, as climate change warms the air and ocean.
GeoXO
GeoXO will advance observations of Earth’s weather, atmosphere and ocean for short-term forecasts and warnings and long-term planning for the effects of our changing planet.
New Explorer Series Posters and Wallpapers
Astrobiology and Ocean Worlds, the latest entries in our Explorer Series, have officially launched and are ready for download now!
Download options
NASA’s Hubble Celebrates Decade of Tracking Outer Planets
Encountering Neptune in 1989, NASA’s Voyager mission completed humankind’s first close-up exploration of the four giant outer planets of our…
Read the Story
Mars Rock Sample Montage
Explore NASA’s Mars rock collection, selected by the Perseverance rover team for eventual return to Earth. The Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, a top planetary science priority, aims to bring back samples for groundbreaking research into Mars’ evolution, ancient life potential, and climate. A collaboration with ESA, MSR is the first effort to retrieve pieces of another planet. This video montage showcases high-resolution images from Perseverance’s CacheCam, documenting rock cores collected between February 2021 and December 2024 as the rover ascended Jezero Crater.
Read about all the carefully selected samplesNASA Science is Delivering
NASA Science is delivering: every second of every day, of every week, of every year. 2024 is proving to be yet another year of exceptional scientific discovery and achievement. From soft landing back on the Moon a few months ago, to celebrating the Heliophysics Big Year and a Total Solar Eclipse in the contiguous United States, to receiving stunning imagery from James Webb, NASA Science is as busy as ever. Recently launched earth science missions are also providing us unprecedented views of our planet and incredible insight into the health of our oceans and atmosphere, and helping decision-makers improve lives on Earth and safeguard our future. And we are charting a new, sustainable path for Mars Sample Return.
Looking ahead, we have many exciting launches on the horizon. At NASA, we are fortunate that our science and exploration endeavors are inextricably linked and help us discover and innovate for the benefit of humanity. Together, we explore to advance scientific understanding. Ultimately, exploration enables science, and science enables exploration.
The NASA Science team is continuing to deliver for the benefit of all.
Earth
Your home. Our mission.
And the one planet that NASA studies more than any other.
How we Look at Earth
Earth Observatory
Images, stories, and discoveries about the environment. Where every day is Earth Day.
Earth Science Data
Free and open access to an immense archive of Earth science data empowers users to better understand and protect our home planet.
Science in Action
NASA’s projects advance what’s possible here on Earth.
Earth Information Center
See how the planet is changing in ways that affect the lives and livelihoods of individuals across the globe.
Climate Change
From the unique vantage point in space, NASA collects critical long-term observations of our changing planet.
An Ocean in Bloom
From the far reaches of space, NASA scientists aim to expand their knowledge of how our ocean, atmosphere, and ecosystems interact with one another.
World of Change
Earth is constantly changing. World of Change documents how our planet’s land, oceans, and atmosphere are changing over time.
Explore our changing planet
Earth is our home, shared with millions of species. Rapid changes like rising temperatures and more frequent extreme weather are transforming our planet. For over 50 years, observations from space and ground have monitored these changes, guiding critical decisions in areas like agriculture and air quality. By understanding how our actions affect Earth's systems, we can help mitigate these impacts. Discover more about how you can make a difference in safeguarding our planet.
Visit the Earth Information Center
By the Numbers
Science is interconnected; no important question stands alone. The Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is an organization where discoveries in one scientific discipline have a direct route to other areas of study. This flow is something extremely valuable and is rare in the scientific world.
Learn More about Science by the Numbers
Dive Deeper
SMD Community Town Hall Meetings
View upcoming and past community town hall meetings.
NASA Science Strategy
Our science strategy articulates a forward-thinking vision and presents a comprehensive, cohesive and long-term roadmap for all NASA activities.
People of NASA Science
Meet the individuals who are instrumental in enabling the realization of NASA Science’s extraordinary mission.
NASA Science Careers
Discover career opportunities at NASA Science, where innovation, growth and collaboration shape the future of scientific exploration.
