Credit: J. Lee/NIST Rigging crew reassembling the million-pound weight stack in March 2016. NIST's unique Million Pound Deadweight Machine provides the necessary calibrations for aerospace and other industries that need to measure huge forces.

At the heart of NIST’s mission is the dissemination of the fundamental units of measurement (the International System of Units, or SI).

NIST determines the definitive methods for nearly every kind of measurement employed in commerce and research, provides NIST-traceable calibrations, and disseminates standards and best practices throughout the nation.

Staying ahead of the increasingly challenging demands of U.S. industry requires that NIST push the frontiers of measurement science by devising new tools and techniques—especially at the quantum scale where the rules of classical physics do not apply.

Through balanced and coordinated programs, NIST leads the world in disseminating the fundamental units of measurement. This leadership in metrology advancement directly impacts NIST’s relevance and leadership in measurement services.