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The NASA History Office invites historians, interdisciplinary scholars, NASA leaders and practitioners, scientists, engineers, and other researchers to participate in "NASA in the 21st Century: History, Change, and Institutional Adaptation," a two-day symposium scheduled for November 16–17, 2027, at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
The first quarter of the 21st century has brought profound changes to NASA’s missions, organizational structures, partnerships, and place in the world. Since the turn of the millennium, the agency’s human spaceflight program has navigated the close out of the Space Shuttle Program, building and operation of the International Space Station, the Columbia accident and its aftermath, rise and cancellation of the Constellation Program, the expansion of commercial space partnerships, and the development of the Artemis campaign. Across its science, aeronautics, and technology portfolios, NASA has also continued to adapt to new scientific priorities, everchanging technological capabilities, and shifting international relationships.
The goal behind this symposium is to place these developments in the larger historical context, asking not only what changed at NASA, but also how and why those changes occurred. By exploring the decisions, institutional relationships, political circumstances, and professional experiences that have shaped the agency since 2000, the effort aims to deepen understanding of NASA’s contemporary trajectory and provide historical perspective on its future.
Proposals are welcome on any aspect of NASA’s history since 2000. Potential topics include the evolution of human spaceflight from Shuttle to Artemis; NASA's relationships with Congress, presidential administrations, industry, and international partners; space diplomacy and geopolitics; the changing roles of NASA Headquarters and the field centers; the agency’s social, cultural, and economic impact on local communities; and developments in Earth science, planetary exploration, astrophysics, and aeronautics. Research examining NASA within broader histories of science and technology, the federal government, international relations, and the global space sector is especially encouraged.
Researchers interested in participating should submit an abstract of no more than 400 words outlining their proposed paper, its principal questions and sources, and its contribution to the symposium. Submissions should also include a brief biography or curriculum vitae with current institutional affiliation.
The submission deadline is May 31, 2027. Proposals should be sent to Brian C. Odom, NASA Chief Historian, at brian.c.odom@nasa.gov.
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