The National Aeronautics and Space Administration provides for research within and outside the Earth’s atmosphere, and ensures that the United States conducts activities in space devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of mankind. The agency’s $21.5 billion in budgetary resources is used toward space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research. Like other agencies, it is committed to pursuing this important mission while managing its finances effectively, which includes ensuring its payments are accurate, using only property it needs, and accounting for its finances properly.