NASA

What NASA does

NASA is the United States' civilian space agency, established on July 29, 1958 under the National Aeronautics and Space Act, conducting space exploration, aeronautics research, and scientific discovery as an independent executive-branch agency headquartered at 300 E Street SW, Washington, D.C. Its operational footprint spans nine major U.S. centers — Johnson Space Center (Houston), Kennedy Space Center, Goddard Space Flight Center (Greenbelt), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena), Armstrong Flight Research Center (Edwards), Langley Research Center (Hampton), Glenn Research Center (Cleveland), Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville), and Wallops Flight Facility — plus three international Deep Space Network complexes in Goldstone, Madrid, and Canberra.

NASA's core products fall into three layers. Human spaceflight systems include the Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lift rocket, Orion crew vehicle, the International Space Station (continuously inhabited for 20+ years), and the Gateway lunar-orbit outpost. Planetary exploration assets include the Perseverance and Curiosity Mars rovers (Perseverance completed a 26.2-mile Martian traverse in five years versus Opportunity's eleven), the Lucy Trojan asteroid probe, and the ERNEST prototype with active suspension and reinforcement-learning autonomy. Science missions include the James Webb Space Telescope, Hubble, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (launch NET August 30, 2026 with a 300-megapixel Wide Field Instrument and 100x Hubble's field of view at a $4.3B lifecycle cost), and TESS. Underlying infrastructure is the SCaN network — combining the Deep Space Network and Near Space Network — supporting 100+ missions across radio and laser communications.

The business model is government appropriations rather than commercial revenue. NASA receives annual funding through congressional appropriations managed by the Office of Management and Budget, distributed across the Science, Exploration Systems Development, Space Operations, and Aeronautics directorates. Secondary revenue streams are technology transfer and patent licensing plus reimbursable Space Act Agreements. Distribution channels are government-to-government and contractual: the SEWP procurement vehicle (ceiling up to $20B per contract), competitive commercial crew/cargo and launch services contracting (SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, Relativity, Firefly), and the Artemis Accords framework (68 signatory nations). Customer segments are federal agencies (DoD, NOAA, USGS), international space agencies (ESA, JAXA, CSA), commercial space companies, and the scientific research community; NASA does not commercially sell products or services to end users.

Name

NASA

Legal name

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Website

https://nasa.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

NASA is the U.S. civilian space agency operating human spaceflight systems, planetary rovers, space telescopes, and a three-continent Deep Space Network, funded through congressional appropriations and serving federal agencies, international space agencies, and commercial partners globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Space Exploration

NAICS

Space Research and Technology (927110), Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing (336414), Satellite Telecommunications (51741), Other Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Parts and Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing (336419)

SIC

Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760), Search, Detection, Navagation, Guidance, Aeronautical Sys (3812)

akta.pro primary industry

Spacecraft & Satellites (Civil/Commercial) (IMABACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Launch Vehicles & Orbital Rockets (IMABACAA), Spacecraft Avionics, Flight Computers & Software (IMABACAI), Space Payloads & Instruments (Sensors, Comms, EO/IR) (IMABACAD)

Keywords

• Space exploration
• Human spaceflight
• Planetary science
• Aeronautics research
• Space communications

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. U.S. Government Appropriations: NASA receives annual funding through congressional appropriations managed by the Office of Management and Budget. The budget supports all NASA missions, operations, research, and development across multiple directorates including Science, Exploration Systems Development, Space Operations, and Aeronautics.
2. Technology Transfer and Licensing: NASA generates revenue through commercialization of NASA technologies, licensing patents and intellectual property developed through NASA research to private companies.
3. Launch Services: NASA procures and provides launch services for scientific missions, with revenue generated through launch contracts for partner agencies and institutions.

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

NASA operates as the U.S. civilian space agency, developing and operating human spaceflight systems (SLS rocket, Orion spacecraft, ISS, Gateway), planetary rovers (Perseverance, Curiosity), and space telescopes (James Webb, Hubble, Roman, TESS). It maintains the global Deep Space Network and Near Space Network for spacecraft communications, conducts aeronautics research, and procures IT products for federal agencies through the SEWP contract vehicle.

Product overview

NASA operates as the United States government's civilian space agency, developing and operating an extensive portfolio of space exploration systems, scientific observatories, and space communications infrastructure. The core offerings include human spaceflight systems (Space Launch System, Orion spacecraft, International Space Station, Gateway lunar outpost), planetary rovers (Perseverance, Curiosity), and space telescopes (James Webb, Hubble, Nancy Grace Roman, TESS). NASA's infrastructure services include the Deep Space Network and Near Space Network for spacecraft communications. The agency also operates procurement programs like SEWP for federal IT acquisition. NASA's product philosophy integrates advanced technologies including AI for autonomous rover navigation and laser communications for high-bandwidth data transmission, supporting scientific discovery from Mars exploration to deep space astronomy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Space Launch System (SLS) NASA's heavy-lift rocket for deep space exploration; the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and cargo directly to the Moon in a single launch, serving as the backbone of the Artemis program.
• Orion Spacecraft NASA's exploration vehicle carrying crew to space, providing emergency abort capability, sustaining crew during travel, and providing safe reentry from deep space return velocities on Artemis missions.
• International Space Station (ISS) Humanity's home and laboratory off Earth, a modular space station in low Earth orbit serving as a research laboratory for scientific experiments in microgravity with over 20 years of continuous human presence and international cooperation.
• Gateway NASA's first space station in lunar orbit, designed as a multi-purpose outpost providing essential support for long-term human return to the lunar surface and serving as a staging point for deep space exploration.
• James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) NASA's premier space observatory studying every phase in the history of the universe, from the first galaxies after the Big Bang to the formation of stars, planets, and galaxies.
• Hubble Space Telescope Legendary space telescope observing the universe from low Earth orbit since 1990, revolutionizing astronomy with discoveries about the age and composition of the universe.
• Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Next-generation space telescope featuring a 300-megapixel Wide Field Instrument with field of view over 100 times larger than Hubble's, designed to study dark energy, dark matter, and directly image exoplanets.
• Perseverance Rover Mars rover searching for signs of ancient microbial life, collecting rock samples for future return to Earth, and testing technologies for future human exploration of the Red Planet.
• Curiosity Rover Mars rover exploring the Gale Crater to investigate Mars' climate and geology, determining whether the landing region ever had environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.
• TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) Space telescope designed to search for exoplanets using the transit method, monitoring stars for periodic dimming that indicates orbiting planets.
• Lucy Spacecraft Mission to Jupiter's Trojan asteroids to understand the early solar system, following the legacy of the fossilized human ancestor Lucy in revolutionizing knowledge of planetary origins.
• ERNEST Rover Exploration Rover for Navigating Extreme Sloped Terrain - a prototype rover featuring active suspension with individually liftable wheels, reinforcement learning autonomy, and speeds up to 10 times faster than current Mars rovers.
• Deep Space Network (DSN) NASA's international array of giant radio communications antennas (34-meter and 70-meter dishes) located at Goldstone (California), Madrid (Spain), and Canberra (Australia), supporting spacecraft communication and navigation at the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
• Near Space Network Communications and navigation network enabling missions within one million miles of Earth, supporting astronauts aboard the ISS, Earth-monitoring missions, and lunar spacecraft using a blend of government and commercial assets.
• SEWP (Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement) NASA's governmentwide acquisition contract providing federal agencies a streamlined procurement pathway for IT products and services including cybersecurity, AI, cloud, data analytics, and emerging technologies.
• Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Observatory Space telescope studying gamma-ray bursts and serving as a multi-wavelength observatory, currently undergoing orbital decay rescue mission (Swift Boost) to extend operational life.
• Cold Atom Laboratory Quantum physics research facility aboard the ISS that produces Bose-Einstein condensates for experiments in quantum mechanics and general relativity testing, recently upgraded with five times larger condensates.

Quantifiable outcome

• First crewed lunar mission beyond low Earth orbit in over 50 years (Artemis II)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.

• U.S. Small Business AdministrationstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2026NASA and SBA scheduled to sign memorandum of agreement on June 29 at NASA Headquarters to establish interagency initiative aligned with National Space Policy to support growth of American space economy through small business involvement.
• Rocket LabcoreTechnology or Integration · 25 June 2026Rocket Lab was selected by NASA to launch three Electron rockets for two science missions: PolSIR (Polarized Submilimeter Ice-cloud Radiometer) deploying CubeSats to study ice clouds, and TSIS-2 (Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor-2) to measure solar irradiance. Launches scheduled from New Zealand in 2027.
• BotswanaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Botswana signed the Artemis Accords as the 68th signatory and sixth African nation, building on existing space collaboration with the U.S. including Landsat program participation and BotswanaSat-1 launch in March 2025.
• Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026JAXA's HTV-X1 cargo spacecraft completed its inaugural flight to ISS, supporting cargo missions. JAXA is also preparing to send LUSEM lunar space environment monitor aboard Intuitive Machines' IM-3 lunar lander.
• Canadian Space Agency (CSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026CSA provides the Canadarm2 robotic arm for the International Space Station. CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen participated in the Artemis II mission. Spacewalk scheduled for June 30 to replace a wrist joint on Canadarm2.
• University of OxfordminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026University of Oxford led international research team that used NASA's TESS mission data to discover 'super-puff' exoplanets TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c - the lowest density planets ever found, comparable to cotton candy.
• ESA (European Space Agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026ESA collaborates with NASA on Artemis missions, providing the European Service Module for Orion spacecraft. ESA's Euclid telescope data supplements NASA's Roman Space Telescope galactic bulge surveys.
• SpaceXcoreTechnology or Integration · 23 June 2026SpaceX provides commercial crew transportation (Crew Dragon), cargo resupply, and will launch the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope on Falcon Heavy. SpaceX is also developing Starship as a human landing system for Artemis.
• InfleqtionstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026NASA partnered with quantum technology firm Infleqtion for Cold Atom Lab upgrades on ISS. The upgraded SM-3X science module produces Bose-Einstein condensates five times larger than previous versions. Infleqtion simultaneously announced America's Quantum Space Initiative industry coalition.
• AdidasminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2026Partnership to study FIFA World Cup 2026 official ball 'Trionda' in microgravity aboard ISS. Research recreates 2019 study on ball dynamics, center of mass, and balance in space-like conditions.
• Relativity SpacestrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026NASA announced partnership with Relativity Space for the Aeolus Mars mission, NASA's first six-year reimbursable Space Act Agreement. Relativity will supply spacecraft, rocket, and cruise operations while NASA provides atmospheric science instruments for daily global Martian weather data.
• Firefly AerospacecoreTechnology or Integration · 26 May 2026Firefly Aerospace won a $75 million subcontract from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to deliver four drones to the Moon's south pole for the MoonFall mission, targeted for 2028. This is Firefly's fourth funded lunar mission.
• Katalyst Space TechnologiesstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025NASA partnered with Arizona-based Katalyst Space for the Swift Boost mission to rescue the aging Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Katalyst built the LINK servicing spacecraft in under a year under a $30 million NASA contract to capture and boost the telescope to a higher orbit.
• Blue OrigincoreTechnology or IntegrationBlue Origin is developing the Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander as a human landing system for Artemis missions. NASA's Gateway Logistics Services also engages Blue Origin for deep space logistics.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• Rocket Lab: Rocket Lab was selected by NASA for three Electron launches (PolSIR and TSIS-2 missions). Comparable as a smaller emerging launch provider participating in NASA's VADR program, complementary rather than directly competitive to SLS/Falcon Heavy.

Direct peers

• Canadian Space Agency (CSA): CSA is a smaller national space agency partnering on Canadarm2 robotics and Artemis astronaut contributions. A close peer in operating model (government-funded, partner on NASA-led programs) though much smaller in mission scope.
• Blue Origin: Blue Origin develops the Blue Moon lunar lander as a Human Landing System for Artemis and is engaged in Gateway Logistics Services. A direct peer in lunar lander development and orbital logistics, both as supplier and emerging competitor.
• United Launch Alliance (ULA): ULA provides launch services for national security and civil science payloads (Vulcan, Atlas V), directly competing with SpaceX on NASA contracts. A peer in launch services for NASA science and exploration missions.
• SpaceX: SpaceX is NASA's primary commercial partner for crew (Crew Dragon), cargo, and launch (Falcon Heavy for Roman). While commercial, it operates overlapping human spaceflight and launch capabilities and is the closest direct operational peer in U.S. crew access and deep-space transportation.

Broad incumbents

• European Space Agency (ESA): ESA is the most direct intergovernmental peer to NASA, operating joint human spaceflight (Orion European Service Module), Earth observation, and science missions. ESA's Euclid telescope and ISS module contributions make it a 1:1 comparable in mission scope and international partnership model.
• Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO): ISRO operates crewed spaceflight (Gaganyaan), lunar (Chandrayaan), and Mars (Mangalyaan) programs on a national-government model. Comparable to NASA in mission portfolio breadth, though with substantially smaller budget and emerging rather than established capabilities.
• JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency): JAXA is a peer national space agency partnering with NASA on ISS (Kibo module, HTV-X cargo) and Artemis. Comparable in operating human spaceflight, robotic planetary, and launch programs with a national-government funding model.
• China National Space Administration (CNSA): CNSA is a peer government space agency operating Tiangong, Chang'e lunar, and Tianwen Mars programs. Most directly comparable as a state-funded civilian space agency pursuing crewed spaceflight, lunar exploration, and interplanetary science at similar or larger scale to NASA.
• Roscosmos: Russian federal space agency operating Soyuz crew transport, Progress cargo, and lunar/Mars science programs. Historical ISS partner and direct competitor to NASA in human spaceflight access, making it a relevant peer on operations and launch services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nasa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/NASAtelevision
• Facebookfacebook.com/NASA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nasa
• Instagraminstagram.com/NASA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments217 records

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Frequently asked questions about NASA