Featured Missions
Upcoming mission milestones showcase the breadth and depth of NASA science.
![Artist Rendering of NISAR](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/NISAR_Over_Earth_Artist_Concept.jpeg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
NISAR
Launching in September 2024, 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.
![A spacecraft hovers over a reddish striped moon with planet Jupiter in the background.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/europa-clipper-16x9-1.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Europa Clipper
Europa Clipper is launching Oct. 10, 2024 with the main science goal of determining whether there are places below the surface of Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, that could support life.
![Artist's concept of the Lucy orbiter with its distinctive round solar panels as it flies past a Trojan asteroid near Jupiter.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/final-lucy-1600.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Lucy
Launched in October 2021, Lucy will explore a record-breaking number of asteroids, flying by three asteroids in the solar system’s main asteroid belt, and by eight Trojan asteroids that share an orbit around the Sun with Jupiter.
Why Does NASA Want to Explore Jupiter’s Ocean Moon?
Everywhere there’s water on Earth, there’s life. Does that hold true elsewhere in our solar system? NASA’s Europa Clipper mission will investigate Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, which — with its subsurface ocean — is one of the most promising places in our solar system to find environments capable of supporting life.
Learn More about Europa ClipperNASA Science Fleet Chart
NASA Science missions circle the Earth, the Sun, the Moon, Mars, and many other destinations within our Solar System, including spacecraft that look out even further into our universe. The Science Fleet depicts the scope of NASA’s activity and how our missions have permeated throughout the solar system.
Learn More![An infographic displaying all of the NASA Science mission fleet spacecraft in their approximate location in our universe.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/smd-fleet-master-10-15-2023-1.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
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All Science Missions
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![Image of a gloved hand and normal hand exchanging a colorful chip; text reads 3D tissue chips advanced biomedical research](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/3d-tissue-chips-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
3D Tissue Chips
Developing tissue chips that can be used for modeling of acute and/or chronic exposures for 6 months or longer 3D…
![Pioneer 0](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pioneer_able_main.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Able 1 (Pioneer 0)
Pioneer 0, also known as Able 1, was the first-ever launch to the Moon — and humanity’s first attempt to…
![](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1958_november_pioneer_1.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Able 2 (Pioneer 1)
The U.S. Air Force shared management of this lunar mission with America's newly-formed space agency — NASA.
![](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/0601382orig.jpeg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Able 4B (Pioneer P-3)
Able 4B, also known as Pioneer P-3, was part of a U.S. push to get to the Moon after the…
![A Pioneer spacecraft in space](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/pioneer6-9-3.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Able 5A (Pioneer P-30)
What was Able 5A (Pioneer P-30)? This U.S. probe had a mission similar to its failed predecessor, Able 4B. It…
![Ready for Orbit](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Ready_for_Orbit.jpeg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Able 5B (Pioneer P-31)
What was Able 5B (Pioneer P-31)? LIke its two unsuccessful predecessors, this U.S. spacecraft was launched to orbit the Moon.…
![](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ace_1.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
ACE
NASA’s Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) collects and analyzes particles of solar, interplanetary, interstellar and galactic origins. The data contributes to…
![ACME mission](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/acme-mission-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
ACME
Advancing combustion technology via fundamental microgravity/Improving efficiency and reducing emission in practical terrestrial combustion The Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments…
![an illustration of ACRIMSAT in orbit](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/mainacrimsat-0-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
ACRIMSAT
Earth Orbiter
![Photo of plants growing in a controlled environment](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/aph-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
Advanced Plant Habitat
Conducting plant bioscience research aboard the International Space Station The Advanced Plant Habitat (APH) is the largest, fully automated plant…
![Akatsuki](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/akatsuki_main.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Akatsuki
Launch Date May 21, 2010 Launch Site Tanegashima Space Center, Tanegashima, Japan Destination Venus Type Orbiter Status Successful–In Progress Nation…
![Apollo 15 Subsatellite](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/apollo15subsat.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Apollo 15 Subsatellite
Launch Date Aug. 4, 1971 Launch Site Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA | Launch Complex 39A Destination Earth’s Moon Type Orbiter…
![Apollo 16 Subsatellite](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/apollo16_subsat.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Apollo 16 Subsatellite
Launch Date Apr. 24, 1972 Launch Site Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA | Launch Complex 39A Destination Earth’s Moon Type Orbiter…
![Artist's concept of the Aqua spacecraft above Earth.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/aqua.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Aqua
Earth Orbiter
![532569main_pia13971-full_full.jpg](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/532569main_pia13971-full_full-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
Aquarius
Eyes on Aquarius The joint U.S./Argentinian Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas (SAC)-D mission was launched June 10, 2011, and ended on…
![](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/512124main-themis-full.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
ARTEMIS (THEMIS)
Note: This page refers to the twin robotic spacecraft currently studying the Moon. For details on NASA’s new Artemis mission…
![ATLAS](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ATLAS_SQUARE-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
ATLAS
The Atlas Program ATLAS-1, the first of the ATLAS series of Shuttle flights, was an important part of the long-term,…
![ATS](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ATS_SQUARE-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
ATS
Applications Technology Satellite Program The Applications Technology Satellite (ATS) series was conceived of as a follow-on to the successful experimental…
![This image is an animated version of the Aura satellite in orbit. The satellite, seen centered in the image, is made up of silver and gold box-like shapes and instruments. Spanning out to the right of the satellite is a long sheet of solar panels. In the background of the image at the bottom is a portion of Earth seen with clouds and a blue haze surrounding it. The top of the background is the deep black of space, with a cluster of green colored stars to the left.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pia18178orig.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Aura
Earth Orbiter
![Above Earth, the International Space Station orbits. From one area toward the middle of the station, a transparent cone highlights a rainbow stripe of Earth's atmosphere.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/awe-high-res-1.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
AWE
The Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE) is attached to the exterior of the Earth-orbiting International Space Station. From its space station…
![](https://images-assets.nasa.gov/image/GSFC_20171208_Archive_e001470/GSFC_20171208_Archive_e001470~large.jpg?w=1920&h=1275&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint)
BARREL
BARREL was a balloon-based mission to study X-rays in Earth’s atmosphere near the North and South poles.
![Two orbiters mated together in deep space.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/BepiColombo_Cruise_configuration_1280.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
BepiColombo
What is BepiColombo? BepiColombo is an international mission comprised of two spacecraft riding together to Mercury to orbit and to…
![Small lander on the surface of the Moon.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1706_Beresheet_768.jpg?w=4096&format=jpeg)
Beresheet
Beresheet was Israel's first lunar mission and the first attempt by a private company to land on the Moon.
![Image of the earth on the left with the sun in the far distance and the moon on the right. Overlaying text reads: Biological Experiment-01 and Studying how life responds to conditions beyond low-Earth orbit.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/bio-exp-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
BioExpt-01
Biological Experiment-01 on Artemis I Studying how life responds to conditions beyond low Earth orbit BioExperiment-01 (BioExpt-01) will serve as…
![](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/burstcube-s01-667.png?w=4096&format=png)
BurstCube
BurstCube is a shoebox-sized satellite designed to study the universe’s most powerful explosions.
![an illustration of calipso in space](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/calipso-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
CALIPSO
Earth Orbiter
![Spacecraft heating up in Saturn's atmosphere.](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Spacecraft_heating_up_in_Saturns_atmosphere-jpeg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
Cassini-Huygens
Saturn Orbiter
![an illustration of Chandra in space](https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/nasas-chandra-x-ray-600-jpg.webp?w=4096&format=png)
Chandra
Space Telescope