The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) pushes the bounds of technology and invention to new heights with their mission for space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautical research. Parts of this history are preserved in national parks or by National Park Service programs across the country.
National parks are home to stellar views of night skies and innovative scientific research and planning on the ground. Today the National Park Service and NASA team up to collaborate on research, data collection, and outreach. In 2016, the NASA Astronaut Corps were officially named honorary park rangers for their out-of-this world contributions to the National Park Service.
What's Happening in Parks
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Spot the StationSee if you can spot the International Space Station as it flies overhead on its journey around the Earth.
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LEWIS & CLARK NHTNewfie NewsFollow the adventures of Seaman Jr., a plush Newfoundland pup who soared to new heights with NASA.
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CRATERS OF THE MOON NM&PLunar Ranger ChallengeEarn a special Junior Ranger badge while exploring an other-worldly landscape of lava flows.
Junior Ranger Spaceflight Explorers
Reach for the stars to become a Junior Ranger Spaceflight Explorer! Test your knowledge and challenge yourself to fun puzzles and activities to learn more about national parks and space exploration. Get a copy of the official Junior Ranger Spaceflight Explorer book to earn your certificate and let the fun begin!
Natural Spaces
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- Duration:
- 1 minute, 50 seconds
When a NASA astronaut draws parallels between art and science, it's out of this world! Hear from oceanographer, engineer, and NASA astronaut Megan McArthur as she reflects on the Department of the Interior Museum’s 1874 "Chasm of the Colorado" masterpiece of the Grand Canyon, the importance of preserving national parks, and see photos of parks she has taken from space. (Music courtesy of Chad Perkins)
Parks and the Space Program
Showing results 1-10 of 238
- Hot Springs National Park
Thermophile Safari
- Type: Field Trips
- Locations: Hot Springs National Park
Thermophiles, organisms that survive in extreme heat conditions, are one of the most unique resources found in Hot Springs National Park. Students will use scientific studies and on-site observations to assess the factors that have made Hot Springs’ thermophilic ecosystem a destination for scientists. This specialty program is only available for smaller class sizes. Designed for 7th grade and high school biology lessons.
- Death Valley National Park
Rock n’ Rover: Exploring Mars and Death Valley with Curiosity
- Type: Video
- Locations: Death Valley National Park
Join Dr. Lu Chou on a journey through the history book of Mars. In this talk, we will uncover parallels between Mars and our own planet, right here in Death Valley. Discover stories of planetary exploration revealed by our robotic companion, the Curiosity rover, and celebrate the feat of human ingenuity as Curiosity guides us into the cosmos.
- Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
To the Moon and Back: A Revolution in Transportation
- Type: Article
- Locations: Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
Transportation. It’s probably something most of us do not think much about. From cars, bikes, planes, and trains, most of us use some form of transportation to travel to work, school, appointments, and whatever else we do in life. Revolution. A term that can refer to a dramatic social or political change, or simply refer to a cyclical journey. In this article you will learn more about the Transportation Revolution in the Blackstone River Valley and its lasting legacies.
- Hot Springs National Park
Total Solar Eclipse Time Lapse over Bathhouse Row, April 8, 2024.jpg
- Type: Multimedia Asset
Astral photographers captured the nearly three-hour partial and total phases of the April 8 eclipse.
- Hot Springs National Park
Total Solar Eclipse Time Lapse over Bathhouse Row, April 8, 2024.jpg
- Type: Photo
Astral photographers captured the nearly three-hour partial and total phases of the April 8 eclipse.
- Type: Article
- Locations: Hot Springs National Park
- Offices: Interpretation, Education, and Volunteers Directorate
Public programming for the 2024 Total Eclipse was a team effort! With help from Earth to Sky—an organization that fosters collaboration between NASA and the National Park Service—visitors at Hot Springs National Park and other NPS sites in the eclipse path got to experience awe and learning as they witnessed the April 8, 2024 Total Eclipse.
- National Center for Preservation Technology and Training
Podcast 148: Cultural Impacts of the Apollo Program
- Type: Article
- Offices: National Center for Preservation Technology and Training
Catherine Cooper speaks with Bret Bennington and Rodney Hill, professors at Hofstra University about the far-ranging cultural importance and impacts of the Apollo Program.
- Type: Podcast Episode
Catherine Cooper speaks with Bret Bennington and Rodney Hill, professors at Hofstra University about the far-ranging cultural importance and impacts of the Apollo Program.
- National Center for Preservation Technology and Training
Preserving the Race for Space 2024: From the Earth to the Moon and Beyond
- Type: Article
- Offices: National Center for Preservation Technology and Training
NCPTT invites participation in the Race for Space Symposium, 2024, in Houston, TX
- Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve
Astronauts and Superintendent Paul Fritz
- Type: Multimedia Asset
Left to right: Ted Foss, Joe Engle, Eugene Cernan, and former park superintendent Paul Fritz photographed during Apollo 14 training in 1969.
Last updated: September 12, 2023