Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Manned Space Flight Education Foundation Incorporated

EIN 76-0217152 · Houston, TX

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood80 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

Points to look into

  • Raising each dollar of donations cost 50 cents.

These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.

What it says it does

THE MISSION OF MANNED SPACE FLIGHT EDUCATION FOUNDATION, INC. IS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE SPACE PROGRAM WITH SPACE CENTER HOUSTON AS THE CORNERSTONE OF ITS EFFORTS.

Income
$61.2 million
Spending
$45.3 million
Spent on programs
78%
Reserves
18.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 78%
Employees
541
Volunteers
410
Highest pay
$942,032, ceo/president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 68% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 18.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 10% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 26% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    0 of 15

    78% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 50 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    29 of 29 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $35.4 million spent. MANNED SPACE FLIGHT EDUCATION FOUNDATION OPERATES SPACE CENTER HOUSTON, A VISITORS' CENTER DEVOTED TO INCREASING PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE OF MANNED SPACE FLIGHT BY PROVIDING ARTIFACTS, EXHIBITS, TOURS OF NASA, AND LIVE DEMONSTRATIONS. VISITORS APPROXIMATE 1,000,000 ANNUALLY. IN ADDITION, THE FOUNDATION BENEFITS FROM VOLUNTEER EFFORTS, WHICH HAVE TOTALED 18,000 HOURS AND HAVE BEEN VALUED AT $612,000. THE MISSION OF SPACE CENTER HOUSTON, THE GATEWAY TO JOHNSON SPACE CENTER AND THE ASTRONAUTS, IS TO BE A WORLD-CLASS ATTRACTION DEDICATED TO INSPIRING, ENTERTAINING AND EDUCATING EVERY GENERATION ABOUT SPACE EXPLORATION, THE MISSION OF NASA'S JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, RELATED AREAS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, AND THE BENEFITS OF SPACE EXPLORATION TO HUMANKIND.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 1987.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.