NASA Aircraft DC-8

NASA Aircraft DC-8 rests on the tarmac while the P-3B takes off for a science flight to investigate smoke plumes from forest fires on July 3, 2008. Credit: NASA

NASA science is focused on better understanding Earth through the Earth Observing System;advancing heliophysics through the efforts of the Science Mission Directorate’s Heliophysics Research Program; exploring bodies throughout the Solar System with advanced robotic spacecraft missions such as New Horizons; and researching astrophysics topics, such as the Big Bang, through the Great Observatories and associated programs.