Missions
The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (Space Act) established NASA as an aerospace research and development agency that sponsors and conducts flight missions to obtain data in furtherance of its objectives. In NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD), flight missions range from suborbital projects—including balloons, sounding rockets, and airplanes—to interplanetary probes and flagship observatories. All investigations and missions selected and flown must respond to Agency goals and strategic objectives.
Mission opportunities are open to all proposers, within fixed rules, via public announcement, and selections are based primarily on scientific and technical merit as evaluated by independent peer review. Foreign partners are frequent and valued participants in joint missions. The partnerships are generally conducted on a cooperative, no-exchange-of-funds basis. NASA also works closely with a number of other Federal agencies to implement and support our flight missions. To learn more about mission planning and development, see section 3.3 of the Science Plan for NASA's Science Mission Directorate 2007 - 2016 (PDF 5.1 MB).
This page provides access to all SMD missions, with several options for viewing. Click on the column headers below to change your view. The "All" tab will provide you with a complete listing that can be sorted to suit your interests.
*Sort missions by clicking Launch Date, A-Z, or PHASE column headers.
Launch Date | A-Z | Phase |
---|---|---|
December 07, 2001 | Operating | |
Under Study | ||
August 11, 2011 | Development | |
June 30, 2013 | Development | |
May 21, 1975 | Past | |
2001 | Operating | |
February 16, 2009 | Development | |
2011 | Under Study | |
May 04, 1976 | Operating | |
April 15, 1999 | Operating | |
October 12, 2005 | Development | |
July 11, 2011 | Under Study | |
November 17, 1998 | Past | |
Under Study | ||
January 07, 1998 | Past | |
April 24, 2009 | Development | |
May 04, 1989 | Past | |
July 21, 1962 | Past | |
2016 | Under Study | |
December 11, 1998 | Past | |
July 08, 2003 | Operating | |
June 10, 2003 | Operating | |
June 02, 2003 | Operating | |
November 07, 1996 | Past | |
January 01, 2011 | Under Study | |
September 25, 1992 | Past | |
April 07, 2001 | Operating | |
December 04, 1996 | Past | |
January 03, 1999 | Past | |
August 12, 2005 | Operating | |
October 01, 2011 | Development | |
Under Study | ||
2013 | Under Study | |
August 03, 2004 | Operating | |
2014 | Development | |
June 18, 1983 | Past | |
February 19, 1987 | Past | |
February 17, 1996 | Past | |
January 19, 2006 | Operating | |
August 27, 1964 | Past | |
May 20, 2005 | Operating | |
March 28, 1993 | Past | |
December 31, 2012 | Development | |
June 02, 2010 | Development | |
2011 | Under Study | |
Past | ||
December 15, 2008 | Development | |
November 20, 1996 | Past | |
June 20, 2008 | Operating | |
August 04, 2007 | Operating | |
March 03, 1972 | Past | |
May 20, 1978 | Past | |
April 01, 2009 | Development | |
February 24, 1996 | Past | |
June 19, 1999 | Operating | |
November 04, 1995 | Past | |
August 22, 1961 | Past | |
2012 | Development | |
February 02, 2002 | Operating | |
June 01, 1990 | Past | |
March 02, 2004 | Operating | |
December 30, 1995 | Operating |