Answering some of science's most difficult questions How and why are Earth's climate and environment changing?How and why does the Sun's activity affect Earth and the rest of the solar system?How do planets and life originate?What can we learn about biological and physical systems by studying them in space?Are we alone in the universe? Our Research NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) contains five scientific divisions that each study a major area of science: astrophysics, biological and physical sciences, Earth science, heliophysics, and planetary science. Each division produces, examines, and catalogs significant amounts of data from NASA’s dozens of active science missions and from experiments conducted in orbiting laboratories such as the International Space Station.These data form the foundation of the groundbreaking scientific discoveries from the SMD. NASA science data have shed light on the origins of the universe, revealed thousands of new planets, deepened our understanding of weather and climate, uncovered the secrets of our Sun and solar system, and enabled biological research that improves the health of astronauts and people on Earth alike. The SMD aims to make NASA science data as open as possible to everyone around the world to encourage more research participation, collaboration, and transparency than ever before. SMD Goals and Strategy With the amount of science data generated by NASA expected to grow even more in the coming years, the SMD is committed to accelerating science data use and accessibility. This is achieved through a focus on three key areas: continuously evolving data and computing systems, enabling open science, and engaging in strategic and commercial partnerships to drive technological innovation and maximize research impact.To remain on the forefront of trailblazing scientific discovery, the SMD established the Office of the Chief Science Data Officer (OCSDO) in 2021. The OCSDO takes a strategic view of the SMD’s science data systems, including high-end computing, to support the five science divisions in meeting their data management needs, following open science best practices, and enabling cross-disciplinary collaboration. The 2024 OCSDO Year in Review highlights some of the office's recent accomplishments.Learn More About the OCSDO https://science.nasa.gov/about-us/ocsdo/ 100 PB+The estimated amount of data that will be generated by new SMD missions annually in 2026. Search for NASA Science DataNASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) provides web tools to search across all of NASA’s science data, publications, software, and resources.Science Discovery EngineAn integrated search platform to help you find what you need across NASA’s vast stores of open science data, documentation, code, and tools.Science Explorer (SciX)A digital library portal for scientific publications and software related to astronomy, Earth science, heliophysics, physics, and planetary science. News and Events View All News and Events News SciX: A New Era for NASA Research Discovery After a successful beta release period, the SciX platform has launched, making it easier for users to find scientific publications across all of NASA's science disciplines. PUBLISHED Sep 29, 2025 News NASA Science Cloud Leverages Cloud Computing for Accelerated Discovery A new cloud computing platform for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate is helping NASA-affiliated scientists speed up their research timelines with cutting-edge technology. PUBLISHED Sep 25, 2025 Event Spirit of Lyot 6 Feb 2–6, 2026 The 6th Spirit of Lyot conference will bring scientists and instrumentalists together to explore topics in astrophysics discovery. Event 4th Time Domain and Multi-Messenger Astrophysics Workshop Oct 27–30, 2025 Organized by NASA's new Astrophysics Cross-Observatory Science Support (ACROSS) initiative, this workshop aims to advance the astronomy community's observing plans for rapid follow-up of explosive transients.
News SciX: A New Era for NASA Research Discovery After a successful beta release period, the SciX platform has launched, making it easier for users to find scientific publications across all of NASA's science disciplines. PUBLISHED Sep 29, 2025
News NASA Science Cloud Leverages Cloud Computing for Accelerated Discovery A new cloud computing platform for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate is helping NASA-affiliated scientists speed up their research timelines with cutting-edge technology. PUBLISHED Sep 25, 2025
Event Spirit of Lyot 6 Feb 2–6, 2026 The 6th Spirit of Lyot conference will bring scientists and instrumentalists together to explore topics in astrophysics discovery.
Event 4th Time Domain and Multi-Messenger Astrophysics Workshop Oct 27–30, 2025 Organized by NASA's new Astrophysics Cross-Observatory Science Support (ACROSS) initiative, this workshop aims to advance the astronomy community's observing plans for rapid follow-up of explosive transients.