NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is the United States civil space agency, responsible for space exploration, Earth and planetary science, and aeronautics research. It designs, builds, and operates spacecraft and launch systems and conducts fundamental and applied R&D with a network of contractors, universities, and national laboratories.
For the chemical sector, NASA is a major developer and user of propellants and industrial gases, notably liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for cryogenic propulsion, helium for pressurization and purging, and nitrogen for inerting. The agency advances cryogenic storage, transfer, and materials compatibility; studies combustion, atmospheric chemistry, and contamination control; and develops life-support and environmental control systems. NASA programs contribute to innovations in polymers, composites, adhesives, coatings, sealants, thermal protection materials, and high‑purity fluids handling. Its facilities and missions create sustained demand for specialty chemicals and inform work on alternative/“green” propellants, advanced materials, and process safety practices across the broader chemical industry.