About the Author

NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration), established in 1958, is the United States agency of scientific research, technological development, and exploration in space. Its vision since its inception has been 'to reach for new heights and reveal the unknown so that what we do and learn will benefit all humankind.'

Nirmala Nataraj is a writer and editor with a background in science writing-particularly cosmology, ecology, and molecular biology - 8with a focus on photography, architecture, and the arts. She lives in Beacon, New York.