1

FISCAL YEAR 2017

B U D G E T E S T I M A T E S
2

2017 Budget Highlights

 Provides continuity and stability for the Nation’s plan to extend 

humanity’s reach further into space, ultimately sending humans 

to Mars.

 Builds on U.S. preeminence in science and technology, 

improves life on Earth and protects our home planet, while 

creating jobs and strengthening the American economy.

 Provides $19 billion to advance the Nation’s space exploration 

plan and ensure that the United States remains the world's 

leader in space exploration, aeronautics research, and scientific 

discovery for years to come. 

– Includes $763M in paid-for mandatory investments, 

because NASA programs are critical to building durable 

economic growth and maintaining America’s edge as the 

leader in innovation and cutting-edge science. 

 Supports the growth of a vibrant American commercial space 

industry and partners with industry to send astronauts to ISS 

cost-effectively and safely from American soil by the end of 

2017.
3

Highlights (continued)

 Continues development of the Orion crew vehicle, Space 

Launch System (SLS), and Exploration Ground Systems 

(EGS) that will send astronauts on deep space 

exploration missions in the 2020’s and beyond. 

 Invests in space technologies that enhance US space 

capabilities, reduce the cost of space exploration, and 

lower barriers to new commercial space capabilities by, 

for example, improving our ability to access and travel 

through space, accurately land more massive systems in 

more locations throughout the solar system, live and work 

in deep space and on planetary bodies, and transform 

the ability to observe the universe and answer profound 

questions in earth and space sciences. 

 Supports operation of the International Space Station 

(ISS) to at least 2024, providing a unique environment for 

research on human health and space operations 

necessary for future long-term human missions, for 

expanding commercial activity in low Earth orbit, and 

providing direct benefits to the people of Earth. 
4

Highlights (continued)

 Enhances technology investments aimed at sending 

humans to Mars, including increased outyear investment 

on new technologies needed for deep space missions. 

These include space to ground laser communications, 

satellite servicing, habitation concepts, and advanced inspace propulsion.

 Aligns robotic technology with a crewed mission to 

rendezvous with a redirected asteroid in cis-lunar space to 

allow NASA to expand crewed operations beyond low 

Earth orbit as a proving ground for Mars class missions. 

 Provides direct investment in NASA’s core workforce and 

infrastructure capabilities such as Aerosciences Ground 

Test Capability.
5

Highlights (continued)

 Funds crucial satellite and research efforts to 

help us understand the Earth’s systems and 

climate, and continue the 43-year Landsat 

record of global land-imaging measurements.

 Supports the National Space Weather 

Strategy and Action Plan.

 Funds formulation for the Wide-Field Infrared 

Survey Telescope. Significant progress has 

been made maturing technology for 

exoplanet imaging and for the wide-field 

infrared survey.

 Funds achievement of multiple milestones in 

the development, integration, and testing of 

our next Great Observatory the James Webb 

Space Telescope, planned for launch in 2018.

 Funds formulation of a mission to Jupiter’s 

moon Europa. Funds missions to Mars and 

other destinations throughout the solar 

system, and supports the Discovery and New 

Frontiers programs. 
6

Highlights (continued)

 Establishes a major new experimental flight initiative 

to demonstrate and validate new technologies that 

dramatically reduce fuel consumption, emissions, 

and noise, and open new markets for U.S. industry.

 Continues to address emerging needs such as 

integration of Unmanned Aircraft Systems into the 

National Airspace System and accelerates the 

development of emerging technologies (e.g. hybrid 

electric propulsion).

 Funds a University Innovation and Challenge project 

to establish university leadership in developing 

transformative concepts and addressing key 

technical challenges facing the aviation industry.

 Contributes to the government-wide effort to 

improve the delivery and effectiveness of STEM 

education programs. 
7
8

Anticipated Accomplishments 

in FY 2017

SLS/Orion: ISS: Increase utilization with 

science and technology payload 

hardware to 70 percent; Complete 

the One-year crew increment

Asteroid 

Redirect 

Mission: 

Complete 

commercial 

spacecraft-based 

early design work 

for the robotic 

mission segment

Launch 13 

science and 

cargo missions 

and one 

commercial 

crew test

Space Tech: 

launch 

demonstrations 

of green 

propellant and 

atomic clock 

technologies 

(GPIM and 

DSAC)

Webb: 

Test and 

integrate major 

components 

including the 

Optical 

Telescope 

element / 

Integrated 

Science 

instrument 

module

Aeronautics: Design of a 

large scale Hybrid Wing 

Body X-Plane that meets 

ultra-efficiency goals will 

be partially completed

ISS: 

will complete the final 

international docking adapter for 

commercial crew vehicles, 

supporting increased on-board 

research activity

Commercial Crew 

Program: Conduct 

Commercial Crew 

transportation system 

test flight and other 

milestones

SLS/Orion: 

- Continues assembly, integration, 

and testing of the Orion EM-1 crew 

module

- SLS will prepare for final major 

element tests for EM-1 
9

FY 2017 Budget Request ($M)

Fiscal Year

FY Enacted PBR Notional

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

18,010.2 19,285.0 19,025.1 18,826.6 19,399.9 19,879.9 20,367.5

5,243.0 5,589.4 5,600.5 5,408.5 5,516.7 5,627.0 5,739.6

1,784.1 2,032.2 1,989.5 2,001.3 2,020.9 2,047.7

1,446.7 1,518.7 1,439.7 1,520.1 1,575.5 1,625.7

730.7 781.5 761.6 992.4 1,118.6 1,192.5

645.4 620.0 569.4 533.7 304.6 197.2 149.8

636.1 698.7 684.0 698.3 714.8 723.9

642.0 640.0 790.4 846.4 1,060.1 1,173.3 1,286.9

600.3 686.5 826.7 704.4 718.5 732.9 747.5

3,542.7 4,030.0 3,336.9 3,529.7 4,081.7 4,243.6 4,261.7

3,211.5 3,680.0 2,859.6 2,922.5 3,061.6 3,092.2 3,142.3

331.2 350.0 477.3 607.2 1,020.1 1,151.4 1,119.5

4,625.5 5,029.2 5,075.8 4,912.8 4,529.7 4,540.1 4,697.6

7.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

1,524.8 1,430.7 1,554.7 1,536.8 1,539.3 1,585.2

2,254.0 2,757.7 2,475.0 2,118.7 2,144.4 2,213.9

Space and Flight Support (SFS) 839.0 887.4 883.2 874.1 856.4 898.6

119.0 115.0 100.1 102.1 104.1 106.2 108.3

2,754.6 2,768.6 2,836.8 2,893.6 2,951.5 3,010.4 3,070.6

2,023.7 2,017.7 2,058.1 2,113.5 2,155.6 2,198.8

730.9 819.1 835.5 838.0 854.8 871.8

446.1 388.9 419.8 390.2 398.0 406.0 414.1

374.4 328.0 297.9 303.8 310.1 317.9

71.7 91.8 92.3 94.2 95.9 96.2

37.0 37.4 38.1 38.9 39.6 40.4 41.2

18,010.2 19,285.0 19,025.1 18,826.6 19,399.9 19,879.9 20,367.5

FY 2016 reflects only funding amounts specified in Public Law 114-113, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016. For projects in 

development, NASA’s tentatively planned FY 2016 funding level is shown. FY 2016 funding levels are subject to change pending 

finalization of the FY 2016 Operating Plan.

FY 2017 includes $763 million in mandatory funding.

Construction of Facilities

Environmental Compliance and Restoration

Inspector General

NASA Total

Center Management and Operations

Planetary Science

Astrophysics

Agency Management and Operations

Space Shuttle

FY 2015 reflects funding amounts specified in the September 2015 Operating Plan per Public Law 113-235.

Construction and Environmental Compliance and Restoration

Exploration

Exploration Systems Development

Exploration Research and Development

Education

Safety, Security, and Mission Services

International Space Station

James Webb Space Telescope

Heliophysics

Aeronautics

Space Technology

NASA Total

Science

Earth Science

Space Operations

Budget Authority ($ in millions)

Space Transportation
10

NASA Mission Launches 

(Fiscal Years 2016 – 2021)

DSAC Ascent Abort-2

GPIM Future Cargo

SpaceX-11 Future Cargo

SpaceX-12 Orbital ATK-9 Future Cargo

SpaceX-13 Orbital ATK-10 SLS EM-1 Future Cargo Future Cargo

Orbital ATK-7 SpaceX-14 Future Cargo Future Cargo Future Cargo

Orbital ATK-8 SpaceX-15 SpaceX-17 Future Cargo Comm Crew

CCtCap DM-1 SpaceX-16 SpaceX-18 Future Cargo Comm Crew

CCtCap DM-2 CCtCap CFT SpaceX-19 Future Cargo Disc-13

SpaceX-8 CCtCap OFT Comm Crew SpaceX-20 Comm Crew Helio MoO

SpaceX-9 SEXTANT Comm Crew Comm Crew Comm Crew SWOT

SpaceX-10 NICER TESS Comm Crew Restore-L Landsat-9

Orbital ATK-4 ✓ ISS-CREAM TSIS-1 LCRD MEDLI-2 TSIS-2

Orbital ATK-5 CYGNSS InSight~ EVS-2 MEDA RBI

Orbital ATK-6 OCO-3 ICESat-2 CLARREO PF MOXIE Sentinel-6a

LISA PF OSIRIS-Rex ICON GEDI Mars 2020 EVM-2

SAGE III BepiColumbo* GOLD Solar Orbiter TEMPO EVI-4 MoO

SET-1 GOES-R Solar Probe+ JWST ECOSTRESS EVS-3

Astro-H JPSS-1 GRACE FO Metop-C EVI-3 MoO Astro SMEX-1

Jason-3 ✓ GOES-S ExoMars** GOES-T Euclid Astro MoO-1

FY2016 FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 FY2020 FY2021

STMD missions in yellow text

*NASA provided instrument is Strofio

**NASA provided instrument is MOMA-MS

NASA Mission on US ELV Exploration Systems Development Mission

Reimbursable Mission for NOAA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services

Joint NASA-NOAA-USAF Mission Commercial Crew Mission

HEO missions in white text

SMD missions in black text

✓ Mission successfully launched

X Mission unsuccessful

TDRS-M launch services and date to be determined

Dates reflect Agency Baseline Commitments or updated Agency schedules and may 

include schedule margin beyond any manifested launch dates

~FY18 LRD is under review

Joint NASA-USAF Mission

Joint NASA-Int'l Partner Mission Commercial Resupply Services Mission

Int'l Mission with NASA contribution Future Commercial Resupply Mission

Notional
11

Earth Science

 Maintains a robust program of competed Venture-class 

missions. 

 Supports formulation and development of PACE, NISAR, 

ICESat-2, GRACE Follow-on, SWOT, TEMPO, RBI, 

OMPS-L, Sentinel-6, CLARREO Pathfinder, TSIS-1 and 

TSIS-2.

 Multi-Decadal Sustainable Land Imaging (SLI) program 

provides high-quality, global land imaging 

measurements, involving Landsat 9 launch as early as 

2021 (fully Class-B rebuild of Landsat 8), and Land 

Imaging Technology and System Innovation.

($M) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Earth Science $1,921 $2,032 $1,990 $2,001 $2,021 $2,048

Outyears are notional

 Explores the potential of small satellite constellations to conduct Earth 

science

 Increases support for Research and Analysis.

 Operates 18 additional missions, and the Airborne Science project.
12

Planetary Science

 Continues development of the Mars 2020 mission.

 Funds continued formulation of a mission to Jupiter’s moon, Europa.

 Continues work on the JUICE instrument in collaboration with the 

European Space Agency mission to Jupiter. 

 Initiates studies for the next New Frontiers 

Mission and continues operations of Juno 

and New Horizons.

 Operates 13 Planetary missions including 

MAVEN, Mars Curiosity, Opportunity, 

Odyssey, Mars Express, and Cassini 

(Saturn). 

 Increases support for technology 

development to accelerate future power 

systems.

 Increases support for Research and 

Analysis.

Outyears are notional

Dawn Image of Ceres on January 13, 2015

($M) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Planetary Science $1,631 $1,519 $1,440 $1,520 $1,576 $1,626
13

Astrophysics

 Continues development of the TESS exoplanet mission for launch by FY2018. 

TESS will continue the search for exoplanets, scanning all of the sky for 

exoplanets closer to Earth than those found by Kepler.

 Formulates the WFIRST/AFTA mission.

 Supports operating mission extensions, subject to the results of the 2018 

Senior review. 

 Enables down selection of next Astrophysics Small Explorer mission, and 

selection of next Astrophysics Medium Explorer mission concepts for 

competitive study.

 Increases support for research and analysis.

Outyears are notional

($M) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Astrophysics $731 $782 $762 $992 $1,119 $1,193
14

James Webb Space Telescope

 Supports the commitment of an 

October 2018 launch date.

 Delivers the Optical Telescope 

element/Integrated Science (OTIS) 

instrument module to Johnson 

Space Center for testing.

 Conducts OTIS cryovacuum testing;

 Integrates the cryocooler

compressor assembly into the 

spacecraft bus.

 Delivers the flight solar array to the 

observatory for integration.

Outyears are notional

($M) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

JWST $620 $569 $534 $305 $197 $150
15

Heliophysics

 Continues Solar Orbiter Collaboration 

(SOC) partnership with ESA (2018 launch).

 Continues development of Solar Probe Plus 

(SPP), Ionospheric Connection Explorer 

(ICON), and Global-scale Observations of 

the Limb and Disk (GOLD) all to be 

launched in FY 2018.

 Operates over 17 Heliophysics missions 

(31 individual spacecraft).

 Triples funding for the CubeSat project in 

FY 2017.

 Supports the National Space Weather 

Strategy and Action plan.

 Increases support for Research and 

Analysis, and maintains support of the 

Sounding Rockets program.

Outyears are notional

($M) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Heliophysics $650 $699 $684 $698 $715 $724
16

Aeronautics

Outyears are notional

 Aeronautics research develops transformative capabilities that enable the U.S. aviation industry 

to maintain and advance its global leadership and contributes to the nation’s economic growth 

and job creation.

 Invests in technologies that will make air travel cleaner and more efficient as part of the 

Administration’s 21st Century Clean Transportation Plan with paid-for 10-year mandatory 

funding. 

($M) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Aeronautics $640 $790 $847 $1,060 $1,173 $1,287

 Continues to enable NextGen to deliver major benefits to airlines and travelers with 

development and transfer of revolutionary air traffic management tools that increase the 

efficiency of operations while enabling more prognostic system-wide safety.

 Increases investments in UAS integration, such as small UAS operation at low altitude, 

enabling U.S. leadership in safe, scalable application of UAS.

 Expands innovative university research and increases student involvement in 

implementing the NASA Aeronautics vision and strategy.

 Establishes a major new experimental flight 

initiative to demonstrate and validate new 

technologies that dramatically reduce fuel 

consumption, emissions, and noise and opens 

new markets for U.S. industry:

 Ultra-Efficient Aircraft such as the Hybrid Wing 

Body

 Hybrid Electric Aircraft

 Low Boom Flight Demonstrator
17

Space Technology 

Outyears are notional

 Continues formulation of Restore-L as a technology 

demonstration mission that will provide servicing to a U.S. 

satellite in low earth orbit.

 Conducts six in-space demonstrations of crosscutting 

technologies: deep space atomic clock, a green propellant 

alternative to hydrazine, and four small spacecraft. 

 Develops a high-powered solar electric propulsion capability 

to meet demands by U.S. aerospace industry, and for future 

NASA exploration missions. 

 Continues progress toward a 2019 demonstration of 

space-to-ground laser communications.

 Enables deep-space exploration by advancing life-support, thermal management, advanced in-space 

propulsion, and thermal protection systems for spacecraft such as Orion.

 Supports U.S. research and development with investments in small businesses to spark new ideas for the 

benefit of NASA, US aerospace and high tech industries; and engages academia through early-stage 

research, and solicit the U.S. aerospace community for technologies at the “tipping point.”

 Development of foundational technologies to support future outer planets missions. 

 Leads technology transfer and commercialization activities across the agency, extending the benefits of 

NASA’s technology investments so they have a direct and measurable impact on daily life.

($M) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Space Tech $687 $827 $704 $719 $733 $748
18

Exploration Systems Development

 Provides necessary funding for SLS, 

Orion and associated Exploration Ground 

Systems to prepare for the Exploration 

Mission (EM-1), the first pairing of Orion 

and SLS. 

Outyears are notional

 Provides for mating the Orion EM-1 crew 

vehicle components including the European 

Service Module, at KSC.

 Completes production and delivery of the 

SLS EM-1 Interim Cryogenic Propulsion 

Stage to KSC along with the sections of the 

Booster including the Solid Rocket Motor 

Segments to begin final assembly. 

 Continues modifications at KSC’s Launch 

Complex 39-B, Vehicle Assembly Building 

and Launch Control Center. 

($M) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

ESD $3,680 $2,860 $2,923 $3,062 $3,092 $3,142
19

Exploration Research and Development 

 Includes the Human Research Program (HRP) and the Advanced Exploration 

Systems (AES) activities. 

– HRP researches the human system to provide countermeasures, knowledge, 

technologies, and tools to enable safe, reliable, and productive human spaceflight 

missions and develops the scientific technological expertise to send humans to 

deep space for longer durations.

– AES pioneers new human spaceflight systems and technologies, including using 

public-private partnerships to rapidly develop habitation systems leading to a cislunar habitat, crew mobility systems, vehicle systems, autonomous systems, and 

robotic precursors for future human missions beyond Earth orbit.

– AES includes the Asteroid Redirect Mission which includes a robotic mission to 

redirect an asteroid to cis-lunar space via a solar electric propulsion based system; 

and in future years a follow-on crewed mission where astronauts will explore the 

redirected asteroid via SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft. 

 HRP will re-compete its external institute cooperative agreement for the first time 

in 20 years; the new, private sector Translational Research Institute will lead a 

national effort in translating emerging terrestrial biomedical research and 

technology development into applied mitigations for human space flight travel risks 

on human behavioral health.

Outyears are notional

($M) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Exploration R&D $350 $477 $561 $1,020 $1,151 $1,120
20

Space Transportation 

 Continues NASA’s partnership with U.S. commercial space 

industry to regain the capability to send astronauts into 

space cost-effectively, reliably, and safely from American 

soil by the end of 2017, and continue to operate systems to 

transport cargo to and from the ISS and low Earth Orbit.

 Assures U.S. access to the ISS, bolsters American 

leadership, and reduces our dependence on Russian 

spaceflight capabilities for crew transportation.

 Enables continued research and technology development 

by providing a stable crew and cargo flight plan.

 Stimulates growth of a new space transportation industry 

available to all potential customers, strengthening 

America’s space industrial base.

Outyears are notional

($M) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Space

Transportation $2,758 $2,475 $2,119 $2,144 $2,214
21

International Space Station

 As the world’s only crewed space-based multinational research laboratory 

and technology test bed, ISS is critical to the future of human exploration 

and to learning how to live and work in space. 

Outyears are notional

 Objectives:

– Conduct research and technology development required to 

enable human exploration in deep space and eventually Mars.

– Facilitate maturation of a commercial market for space-based 

research and activity in low-Earth orbit.

– Conduct research in Earth, space, and fundamental biological 

and physical sciences.

 Works with international partners to maintain a 

continuous six ISS crew member capability by 

coordinating and managing resources, logistics 

systems, and operational procedures.

 ISS research is planning for the delivery of the Cold 

Atom Laboratory, which will take advantage of the 

microgravity environment to create the coldest known 

matter in the universe.

($M) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

ISS $1,431 $1,555 $1,537 $1,539 $1,585
22

Space and Flight Support

 Continues providing mission critical space communications and navigation 

services to customer missions, including human, science, and commercial crew 

and cargo missions. 

Outyears are notional

 Continues the replenishment of Tracking Data Relay 

Satellite (TDRS) fleet, modernization of the aging 

Space Network and updates to the Deep Space 

Network. 

 Supports the readiness and health of the crew for all 

NASA human space flight endeavors.

 Provides safe, reliable, and cost-effective launch 

services for NASA payloads in FY 2017 and gives 

launch-related support to over 40 NASA scientific 

spacecraft missions in various phases of 

development.

 Provides NASA’s rocket testing core capability to meet 

US rocket testing requirements.

($M) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

SFS $887 $883 $874 $856 $899
23

Education

 Continues to align education efforts within the 

Agency to the Administration’s Five-year 

Federal Strategic Plan on STEM Education. 

 Supports the Office of Education efforts 

through evidence-based competitive processes 

to ensure the best use of NASA assets to meet 

the Nation’s education goals. Collaborates with 

other agencies in areas of STEM education 

where the Federal government can have 

maximum impact.

Outyears are notional

 Continues the Agency’s investment in the Space Grant, EPSCoR, and 

MUREP. Also maintains a focus on Minority Serving Institutions and 

community colleges, which generally serve a high proportion of minority 

students and prepare them for entry into the STEM workforce and for study at 

a four-year institution.

($M) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Education $115 $100 $102 $104 $106 $108
24

Safety, Security, and Mission Services and 

Construction

 Safety, Security, and Mission Services

– Funds ongoing operations of NASA Centers and major component facilities to achieve a safe, 

healthy, and environmentally responsible workplace.

– Provides independent technical and safety oversight of NASA missions and operations.

– Ensures core services are ready and available for performing mission roles and responsibilities 

while implementing the long-term changes identified in the Business Services Assessment (BSA) 

of IT, acquisition, human capital management, budget management, and facilities management 

to optimize services and maintain a minimum set of capabilities to meet mission needs.

– Integrates, simplifies, and consolidates the IT infrastructure into a more secure, effective, and 

efficient environment.

 Construction and Environmental Compliance and Restoration

– Funds repair, revitalization, demolition, and recapitalization projects that reduce the Agency’s 

footprint and provide efficient, modernized facilities.

– Invests in energy savings projects to reduce utility usage and costs. 

– Constructs new or modified facilities to conduct NASA’s program missions.

– Manages NASA’s environmental clean-up responsibilities.

($M) 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

SS&MS $2,769 $2,837 $2,894 $2,952 $3,010 $3,071

Construction & 

ECR $389 $420 $390 $398 $406 $414

Outyears are notional

26

Acronyms

• AES: Advanced Exploration Systems

• CCDev: Commercial Crew Development

• CCP: Commercial Crew Program

• CRS: Cargo Resupply Services

• CYGNSS: Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System

• DSCOVR: Deep Space Climate Observatory

• ECR: Environmental Compliance and Restoration 

• EGS: Exploration Ground Systems 

• EFT: Exploration Flight Test

• ELV: Expendable Launch Vehicle

• EM: Exploration Mission

• EPSCoR: Experimental Program to Stimulate 

Competitive Research

• ESA: European Space Agency

• ESD: Exploration Systems Development

• EVA: Extravehicular Activity

• EVI: Earth Venture Instrument

• EVS: Earth Venture Sub-Orbital solicitation

• FTE: Full Time Equivalent

• GLOBE: Global Learning and Observations to Benefit 

the Environment

• GOES: Geostationary Operational Environmental 

Satellite

• GOLD: Global Scale Observations of the Limb and Disk

• GPM: Global Precipitation Mission

• GRACE: Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment 

• HRP: Human Research Program

• ICESat: Ice Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite

• ICON: Ionospheric Connection Explorer

• IRIS: Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph

• ISS: International Space Station

• JASD: Joint Agency Satellite Division

• JPSS: Joint Polar Satellite System

• JWST: James Webb Space Telescope

• LADEE: Lunar Atmosphere Dust Environment Explorer

• LDCM: Landsat Data Continuity Mission

• LWS: Living With a Star

• LSP: Launch Services Program

• MAVEN: Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution

• MMS: Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission

• MoO: Missions-of-Opportunity

• MSL: Mars Science Laboratory

• MPCV: Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle

• MUREP: Minority University research and Education Program

• NOAA: National Oceanographic and Atmospheric 

Administration

• NICER: Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer

• NPP: NPOESS Preparatory Project

• OCO: Orbiting Carbon Observatory

• OSIRIS-Rex: Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource 

Identification Security Regolith Explorer

• POES: Polar Operational Environmental Satellite

• R&D: Research & Development

• SAGE: Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment

• SET: Space Environment Testbeds

• SFS: Space and Flight Support

• SLS: Space Launch System

• SMAP: Soil Moisture Active-Passive Mission

• SOFIA: Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy

• ST: Space Technology

• STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

• SWOT: Surface Water and Ocean Topography

• TCTE: Total Solar Irradiance Calibration Transfer Experiment

• TDRS: Tracking and Data Relay Satellite

• TEMPO: Tropospheric Emissions Monitoring of Pollution

• TESS: Transiting Exoplanet Survey satellite

• WFIRST: Wide Field Infra Red Survey telescope (AFTA: 

Astrophysics Focused Telescope Assets)