The Academy consists of a ten-week summer program hosted by a participating NASA center.

Soffen envisioned the NASA Academy as a leadership program with an inter-disciplinary approach similar to ISU, but without the emphasis on the international and intercultural aspects.

NASA Academy is a unique summer experience of higher learning whose goal is to help guide the future leaders of the American Space Program by giving them a glimpse of how the whole system works.

The NASA Academy states its mission as follows: "to identify and recruit the future leaders of the space exploration community, to introduce them to the key aspects of the industry, to provide them with critical training, and to build an ever-expanding network of these future leaders, so that these young scientists and engineers are prepared to assume the highest responsibilities of a career dedicated to leadership in space exploration.

[6] After 14 years, among its alumni are over 50 members with doctorates, 45 employees of NASA centers, 65 NASA contractors, 70 other professionals in aerospace-related fields, 10 math, science and physics teachers, and three CEOs, with approximately 50% of the alumni currently having completed or completing advanced degrees.