Space Operations Mission Directorate

**Overview** In September 2021, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson [announced](https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-leadership-positions-agency-for-future) the agency was creating two new mission directorates that would best position the agency for the next 20 years. The move separated the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate into the new [Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate](https://www.nasa.gov/exploration-systems-development-mission-directorate/) and **Space Operations Mission Directorate**. NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate is responsible for enabling sustained human exploration missions and operations in our solar system. Space Operations manages NASA’s current and future space operations in and beyond low Earth orbit, including commercial [launch services](https://www.nasa.gov/launch-services-program/) to the [International Space Station](https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/). The directorate operates and maintains exploration systems, develops and operates space transportation systems, and performs broad [scientific research on orbit](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/living-in-space/). In addition, Space Operations is responsible for managing the space transportation services for NASA and NASA-sponsored payloads that require orbital launch, and the agency’s [space communications](https://www.nasa.gov/communicating-with-missions/) and navigation services supporting all NASA’s space systems currently in orbit.