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| NASA Office of Communications | |
|---|---|
| Name | NASA Office of Communications |
| Formed | 1958 |
| Jurisdiction | United States |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Parent agency | National Aeronautics and Space Administration |
| Chief1 name | Communications Director |
| Chief1 position | Director |
| Website | NASA.gov |
NASA Office of Communications
The NASA Office of Communications manages public affairs and media engagement for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, coordinating messaging related to programs such as Artemis program, International Space Station, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, James Webb Space Telescope, and Commercial Crew Program. It liaises with federal entities including the White House and United States Congress, supports missions from Kennedy Space Center and Johnson Space Center, and integrates outreach across centers like Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Ames Research Center, and Langley Research Center.
The Office traces roots to early public information efforts during the National Aeronautics and Space Act era following the creation of National Aeronautics and Space Administration and evolved through milestones such as the Mercury Seven publicity, Apollo program media management during the Apollo 11 lunar landing, and communications adjustments after incidents like the Challenger disaster and Columbia disaster. During the Space Shuttle program, the Office coordinated coverage with entities including NASA Kennedy Space Center and Johnson Space Center, responded to policy shifts under administrations of John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama, and adapted to digital transformation alongside platforms such as Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
Structurally, the Office reports to NASA leadership and interfaces with centers including Goddard Space Flight Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, and Stennis Space Center. Leadership has included senior officials who coordinated with cabinet offices like the Department of Defense and legislative committees such as the United States House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The Office comprises functional teams for press, digital media, internal communications, and visual imagery, collaborating with external contractors and institutions such as Lockheed Martin, Boeing, SpaceX, and academic partners like Massachusetts Institute of Technology and California Institute of Technology.
Primary responsibilities include news release issuance for missions such as Voyager program, Cassini–Huygens, Curiosity rover, and Perseverance (rover), coordination of live broadcasts from Mission Control Center (Houston), and management of imagery and archival assets in coordination with National Archives and Records Administration. The Office oversees policy implementation related to access during events at Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39, handles media accreditation involving organizations like Associated Press and Reuters, and ensures compliance with executive directives including memoranda from the Office of Management and Budget and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Initiatives include multimedia campaigns for Artemis I and successor missions, educational collaborations with institutions such as Smithsonian Institution and National Air and Space Museum, and digital strategies partnering with platforms like NASA TV and streaming services. Programs target audiences via collaborations with National Aeronautics and Space Administration research centers, academic consortia including University of Arizona and University of Colorado Boulder, and science communication networks such as the American Astronomical Society and American Geophysical Union.
Public outreach encompasses press briefings at Kennedy Space Center, social media engagement during extravehicular activity broadcasts, and coordinated coverage with broadcasters like CNN, BBC, NBC, CBS, and ABC. The Office supports public events with partners such as Planetary Society, SETI Institute, National Science Foundation, and museums including the Smithsonian Institution National Air and Space Museum. It administers imagery releases related to missions like Hubble Space Telescope data drops and supports educational campaigns alongside universities such as Stanford University and Georgia Institute of Technology.
During contingencies—ranging from launch anomalies to in-flight contingencies—the Office activates protocols aligning with centers like Johnson Space Center and emergency services including Federal Emergency Management Agency. It has managed communications for incidents linked to Apollo 1, the Challenger disaster, and the Columbia disaster, coordinating investigations with bodies like the National Transportation Safety Board and advisory panels such as the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident. Crisis messaging integrates legal counsel, congressional briefings, and interagency coordination with entities including the Department of Homeland Security.
The Office collaborates with federal agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, international partners like the European Space Agency, Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, and Canadian Space Agency, and commercial partners including SpaceX, Northrop Grumman, Blue Origin, and Sierra Nevada Corporation. It also partners with academic institutions including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, and University of California, Berkeley for research communication, and with media outlets including Scientific American, Nature (journal), and Science (journal) for dissemination.