NASA and the Military: Which Branch?

Hi all, I've been considering pursuing a career in space exploration field, and I recently heard NASA has a close relationship with the military. Do any of you guys know if a specific branch of the military is more directly associated with NASA?

While it's accurate to say that NASA does sometimes collaborate or work in tandem with the military on various projects, there isn't a specific branch of the military that is officially interlinked with NASA. That being said, many astronauts have historically come from the Air Force and the Navy because of their intense training programs and emphasis on technical and physical skills that are useful for spaceflight.

The U.S. Space Force, founded in 2019, is the military branch dedicated to space operations. Although it operates independently of NASA, they do collaborate on some projects. For example, they share infrastructure such as launch facilities and command centers and often coordinate on space-related research and development.

Keep in mind that while these branches have the most direct connections to space exploration, the Army, Marines, and Coast Guard also provide transferable skills, and service members from these branches have also served as astronauts.

Ultimately, your choice of military branch should largely depend on your own preferences and career goals, since every service provides valuable experiences and skills that can contribute to a profession in space exploration. Also, remember that civilian scientists, engineers, and pilots without any military background can and do work for NASA as well. The most important thing is to have a solid academic foundation in STEM fields and a genuine passion for space exploration.