Overview

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) designs, builds, and operates robotic spacecraft and instruments for planetary exploration, Earth science, and space-based astronomy, and develops space technologies. It turns science ideas into missions by having engineers design and test spacecraft, launch them with NASA, and operate missions from mission control using onboard systems and ground data processing to collect science data. JPL stands out as NASA’s primary in-house center for robotic space missions, with a long history and a strong Caltech partnership that supports end-to-end mission delivery. Its goal is to turn scientific investigations into real operating space missions that explore the solar system and Earth, advance technical capabilities, and inspire discovery.