The NASA Office of Public Affairs is tasked with media and public relations. Its mission is to "provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information to the media and general public concerning NASA activities and results" The function was created in the National Aeronautics and Space Act

National Aeronautics and Space Act

The National Aeronautics and Space Act is the United States federal statute that created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration . The Act, which followed close on the heels of the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik, was drafted by the United States House Select Committee on Astronautics...

 of 1958. Services include: advising the NASA Administrator on issues concerning communications as well as public and media relations, policy guidance, advice, and consultation to Headquarters as well as Field Installations on public affairs issues, coordination of resources to news media and the public, maintaining communication channels to the news media and the general public.

The most recognizable face and function of the office is NASA TV

NASA TV

NASA TV is the television service of the United States government agency NASA. NASA TV is broadcast by satellite with a simulcast over the Internet. Local cable television systems across the U.S. and amateur television repeaters may carry NASA TV at their discretion, as NASA-created content is...

 and the website. The Public Affairs Officer at the Kennedy Space Center is also familiar to many as they serve as the voice of NASA during launches providing commentary during countdowns.

See also

• George Diller
  George Diller
  George Diller is a specialist in the NASA public affairs office at the Kennedy Space Center. He provides public announcements and commentary before and during launches from the Kennedy Space Center, including the space shuttle and unmanned spacecraft such as the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity...
  
  , Public Affairs Officer during the later half of the Space Shuttle program
  Space Shuttle program
  NASA's Space Shuttle program, officially called Space Transportation System , was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011...
  
  
• Jack King
  Jack King
  Jack King may refer to:*Jack King , pseudonym for an author of spy thrillers*Jack King , cartoon director and animator for Warner Bros and Disney*Jack Lester King, American population geneticist...
  
  , "Voice of Apollo", Public Affairs Officer during projects Mercury
  Project Mercury
  In January 1960 NASA awarded Western Electric Company a contract for the Mercury tracking network. The value of the contract was over $33 million. Also in January, McDonnell delivered the first production-type Mercury spacecraft, less than a year after award of the formal contract. On February 12,...
  
  , Gemini
  Project Gemini
  Project Gemini was the second human spaceflight program of NASA, the civilian space agency of the United States government. Project Gemini was conducted between projects Mercury and Apollo, with ten manned flights occurring in 1965 and 1966....
  
   and Apollo.