NASA

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the US government agency that is responsible for the civilian space program and aeronautical research. It was established by President Eisenhower in 1958 run by civilians rather than military ) to promote peaceful exploration of space. The agency replaced the The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Since then, NASA has had the lead in manned and unmanned space missions including Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Sklab, the space shuttle and the International Space Station. Under their unmanned programs, they championed earth ornitting satellites, interplanetary probes and space science missions. In recent years, many of their functions have been contracted to private companies.

In The Big Bang Theory, NASA has tasked Howard with his various missions, building things to go into space, journeying to the space station, making speeches and representing NASA as one of their astronauts.