Frequently Asked Questions

Is NASA a part of the Department of Defense? NASA is not a part of the Department of Defense, nor of any other Cabinet-level department. NASA's administrator reports directly to the White House.   When is the next rocket launch? Can I go see it? The main NASA launch schedule is at: http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html. This lists launches from Kennedy, where NASA's largest rockets are launched, as well as launches from NASA's sounding rocket launch site, Wallops, and other locations.   I think I found a meteorite. Can you help me out? Contact your local museum of natural history or planetarium. Several of them have collections of meteorites & experts who can appraise them. The website of the International Planetarium Society is: http://www.ips-planetarium.org.   I have a medal that came from NASA. Can you tell me more about it? NASA hands out many medals. Details on them can be found at: http://nasapeople.nasa.gov/awards_lp.htm   My question isn't on your list! You can contact NASA's Public Communications and Inquiries Management Office: Public Communications and Inquiries Management Office NASA Headquarters Suite 5K39 Washington, DC 20546 (202) 358-0001 (Office) (202) 358-3469 (Fax) public-inquiries@hq.nasa.gov   You can also contact the NASA Headquarters Library. They have resource lists that cover a wide variety of subjects.