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.
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 |
---|---|---|
November 04, 1996 | Past | |
December 10, 2001 | Past | |
July 03, 1992 | Past | |
December 01, 2008 | Development | |
June 27, 1978 | Past | |
August 01, 1997 | Operating | |
December 14, 2002 | Operating | |
TBD | Under Study | |
Under Study | ||
April 19, 1994 | Past | |
2012 | Under Study | |
May 17, 1974 | Past | |
February 26, 1998 | Past | |
June 01, 2009 | Development | |
December 02, 1995 | Operating | |
TBD | Under Study | |
TBD | Under Study | |
January 25, 2003 | Operating | |
January 01, 2010 | Development | |
September 13, 1994 | Past | |
August 25, 2003 | Operating | |
February 11, 2000 | Past | |
March 22, 2006 | Past | |
December 16, 2006 | Past | |
December 01, 2009 | Development | |
February 07, 1999 | Past | |
Operating | ||
June 05, 1999 | Past | |
October 25, 2006 | Operating | |
May 29, 1966 | Past | |
July 10, 2005 | Operating | |
December 06, 1998 | Past | |
November 20, 2004 | Operating | |
December 18, 1999 | Operating | |
May 18, 1999 | Past | |
February 17, 2007 | Operating | |
December 07, 2001 | Operating | |
April 01, 1960 | Past | |
July 02, 1996 | Past | |
August 10, 1992 | Past | |
Under Study | ||
April 01, 1998 | Operating | |
November 27, 1997 | Operating | |
June 26, 1992 | Past | |
February 26, 2008 | Operating | |
September 12, 1991 | Past | |
October 06, 1990 | Operating | |
August 20, 1975 | Past | |
September 05, 1977 | Operating | |
November 01, 1994 | Operating | |
March 04, 1999 | Past | |
November 02, 2009 | Development | |
June 30, 2001 | Operating | |
December 10, 1999 | Operating |