Meet NASA's Asteroid Missions

Meet NASA's Asteroid Missions

Here at NASA, every day is asteroid day. From the many missions journeying to asteroids in our solar system – some even returning samples to Earth – to the efforts to find, track, and monitor near-Earth objects and protect our planet from potential impact hazards, we're always looking to the skies.

In the next few years we will be launching several ambitious missions to study unique asteroids. The Lucy mission and Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission will launch in October and November 2021, respectively. The Psyche mission follows closely with a 2022 launch date. OSIRIS-REx began its journey back to Earth in 2021 and will return in 2023 with its asteroid sample in tow. Additionally, our Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) space telescope has been given a two-year mission extension to continue searching for asteroids and comets. To date, it's made confirmed infrared observations of approximately 39,100 objects in our solar system.

Meet Our Asteroid Missions

This Week in Space

Tested in Space, Free for You – Many of our software innovations were developed to help explore space, but you can download them for applications that benefit everyone right here on Earth. The agency's latest software catalog has hundreds of popular programs, all available for free download. Browse Our Free Software Catalog

And the Winner Is – After a fierce competition to name the Artemis Moonikin, a victor has been named... Commander Moonikin Campos! Dedicated to Arturo Campos, a key player in bringing Apollo 13 home, Campos will embark on the Artemis I mission around the Moon later this year. About the Naming Reveal

Do NASA Science – We're inviting every student, educator, and lifelong learner to share in the excitement of scientific discovery and space exploration through our Science Activation Program—a community-based approach to connect science with learners of all ages.

Eyes on the Earth – Scientists have developed a new way to use NASA satellite data to track ocean microplastics from space. The technique relies on data from our Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, a constellation of satellites that measures wind speeds above Earth's oceans.

Try Our Summer Science Activities

Explore NASA Earth Science

Together We Go Further – For the ninth consecutive year, the Partnership for Public Service has ranked NASA as the Best Place to Work in the Federal Government among large agencies and, new for 2020, has also ranked us No. 1 among large agencies for our response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Apply Now to Join the NASA Family

People Profile

Meet Dr. Wanda Peters, the deputy associate administrator for programs in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. "What I've realized over the years is that, actually — I've earned it. I stopped putting limitations on myself. I don't classify myself as an African American. I don't classify myself as a woman. I classify myself as an engineer. I classify myself as a supervisor. I classify myself as a leader. All the attributes that I bring to the table help me in the experiences that I have, but they do not define me. They are one of the many facets of me."

Check Out More Faces of NASA

Image Spotlight

This composite image made from seven frames shows the International Space Station, with a crew of seven aboard, in silhouette as it transits the Sun at roughly five miles per second on Friday, June 25. Image Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

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