Destinations

To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit. – astrophysicist Stephen Hawking

The sun is one of over 200 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy, and astronomers estimate there are 100 to 200 billion galaxies in the universe. Space exploration represents an eternal quest for knowledge that is undaunted by the enormity of the task.

Our celestial neighbors are the key to unraveling planetary mysteries while driving discoveries that will shape our future on Earth. The next era of human space exploration will send us on a flexible journey to the lunar surface, ancient asteroids and, ultimately, the Red Planet. The pursuit of Mars will foster a new age of international collaboration, technological advancement, and unprecedented innovation.

Video: Dreaming Big

Interactive Feature

Global Exploration Interactive Roadmap

More Destinations

Near Earth
The Moon
Asteroids
Mars

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Did you Know?

What’s in a name? The 100 in Boeing’s CST-100 represents the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and space: 100 km above sea level.
NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) will have an initial lift capacity of 154,000 lbs—100,000 lbs more than the space shuttle. That’s the equivalent of launching 12 elephants into orbit!
The first component of the ISS was launched in 1998, though the first long duration crew didn’t check-in until November 2, 2000. Men and women have been living and working in space on a rotational schedule for over 12 years.