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.
april 8, 2024
Monitor earth and Space weatheR
VIPER robotic moon rover
Welcome to our NASA Science website
A gateway to our missions, research, and engagement efforts.
The Science Mission Directorate inspires the learners of today and develops the leaders of tomorrow. One of our key strategies is to purposefully and actively engage with audiences and learners of all ages to share the story of NASA’s integrated science program. From exoplanet research to better understanding Earth’s climate to understanding the influence of the sun on our planet and the solar system, our work is interdisciplinary and collaborative. Similarly, this website showcases our work in a crosscutting way so that we may build stronger connections with you, our most important stakeholder. Together, we lead a globally interconnected program of scientific discovery that encourages innovation, positively impacts people’s lives, and is a source of inspiration.
Read Nicky Notes
April 8, 2024 - Total Solar Eclipse
What to Expect: A Solar Eclipse Guide
Here’s a guide to help you prepare for the big day. First, find out where the eclipse will happen. Second, decide where you will go to watch the eclipse. Third, plan how you will watch the eclipse safely.
Eclipse Safety
Shield your eyes with eclipse glasses during partial phases, bask briefly in the awe of totality unprotected, then shield again as the Sun emerges. Plus, don't forget sunscreen for UV defense!
Watch Live
Join NASA as a total solar eclipse moves across North America on April 8, 2024, traveling through Mexico, across the United States from Texas to Maine, and out across Canada’s Atlantic coast. Learn how you can tune in for live views from across the path, expert commentary, live demos, and more.
Featured Missions
Our mission milestones showcase the breadth and depth of NASA science.
GOES-U
Launching no earlier than May 2024, GOES-U will provide advanced detection and monitoring of environmental phenomena that directly affect public safety, protection of property, and the nation’s economic health.
Europa Clipper
Launching in October 2024, Europa Clipper’s main science goal is to determine whether there are places below the surface of Jupiter’s icy moon, Europa, that could support life.
VIPER
VIPER launches late 2024 and will be NASA's first robotic Moon rover to measure the location and concentration of water ice and other resources. These resources could eventually be harvested to sustain human exploration on the Moon, Mars — and beyond!
Eclipse Megamovie
Eclipse Megamovie is a NASA-funded citizen science project that engages photographers across the United States to capture images of the Sun’s outermost atmosphere – the corona – during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Volunteers will use DSLR cameras on mounts that will track the Sun’s position in the sky to record changes in the Sun’s corona during the eclipse.
Watch NowBy 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 NASA Science
NASA Study: Asteroid’s Orbit, Shape Changed After DART Impact
After NASA’s historic Double Asteroid Redirection Test, a JPL-led study has shown that the shape of asteroid Dimorphos has changed…
Read the Story
Explore our changing planet
Discover Earth as NASA sees it. Learn why this information matters to us all.
Visit the Earth Information Center
The Sun and Heliophysics
NASA studies the star at the center of our solar system and its influence on space, Earth, and our solar system. This research helps us to not only understand how the universe works, but also protect our technology and astronauts in space.
Learn More
What's out there?
Solar Science
Exploring the Sun's structure, behavior, and the effects of its radiant energy on the solar system and Earth.
Magnetospheres
Learning how protective magnetic fields surrounding planets shield them from solar wind and cosmic radiation.
Ionosphere, Thermosphere, and Mesosphere
Studying the regions where Earth's atmosphere transitions into the ionized plasma of space.
Heliosphere
Understanding how the invisible bubble surrounding our solar system is protecting life here on Earth.
Space Weather
Researching how environmental conditions in space can impact satellites, communications, and power grids on Earth.
Heliophysics Big Year
Celebrating solar science and the Sun's influence on Earth and the solar system.
Dive Deeper
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.
