List of government space agencies
This is a list of government agencies engaged in activities related to outer space and space exploration. (There is also a List of private spaceflight companies.) As of 2018, 72 different government space agencies are in existence; 14 of those have launch capability. Six government space agencies—the China National Space Administration (CNSA), the European Space Agency (ESA), the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Russian Federal Space Agency (RFSA or Roscosmos)—have full launch capabilities; these include the ability to launch and recover multiple satellites, deploy cryogenic rocket engines and operate extraterrestrial probes. The name given is the English version, with the native language version below. The acronym given is the most common acronym: this can either be the acronym of the English version (e.g. JAXA), or the acronym in the native language. Where there are multiple acronyms in common use, the English one is given first. The date of the founding of the space agency is the date of first operations where applicable. If the space agency is no longer running, then the date when it was terminated (i.e. the last day of operations) is given. A link to the Agency's primary website is also given.
List of space agencies Chart on Wikipedia is color-coded. Name Initialisms Country Founded Ter Capabilities of the space agency /Acronym min ate Astronauts Operates Sounding Recoverable d Satellites Rockets Biological Sounding capable Rockets capable
Air Force Space AFSPC 15 September — Command United 1985 Yes Yes Yes No States Australian Space ASA 1st July 2018 — Agency Australia
No Yes No No
Belarus Space BSA 2010 — No No Yes No Agency Belarus Central American ACAE 2010 — Costa Association for Rica Aeronautics and Space No Yes No No (Spanish: Asociación Centroamericana de Aeronáutica y el Espacio) Aeronautics and CIDA-E 5 August 1975 —
Space Research and Uruguay Diffusion No No No No Center[citation needed] (Spanish: Centro de Investigación y Difusión Aeronáutico-Espacial)
Mexican Space AEM 30 July 2010 — Agency Mexico Yes Yes Yes No (Spanish: Agencia Espacial Mexicana) Algerian Space ASAL 16 January —
Agency Algeria 2002 French: Agence Spatiale Algérienne No Yes No No Berber: Tafullut Tadzayrit n Tallunt الوكالة الفضائية الجزائرية :Arabic
Asia Pacific AP-MCSTA show February 1992 — Multilateral International Cooperation in Space Technology and No Yes No No Applications[citation needed]
(Chinese: 亚太空间技术应 用多边合作会议) Asia-Pacific Space APSCO show 28 October — Cooperation International 2005 Organization No Yes No No Chinese: 亚太空间合作组织 German: Agentur für Luft- ALR 12 July 1972 — und Raumfahrt (Aeronautics and Austria Space Agency); also Austrian Space No No No No Agency; (Austrian Solar and Space Agency 1977– 1987) Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan AMAKA 21 February — Milli Aerokosmik Agentliyinin Azerbaijan 1974 (Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency) No Yes No No (Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency 1974–2013 AzerCosmos[10]) Bahrain’s National NSSA 9 April 2014 —
Space Science Bahrain No No No No Agency (NSSA) Dutch: Belgisch Instituut BIRA 25 November — voor Ruimte-Aëronomie French: Institut IASB Belgium 1964 d’Aéronomie Spatiale de BISA Belgique Yes No No No (Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy)
Spanish: Agencia ABAE 1 January —
Bolivariana para Venezuela 2008 Actividades No Yes No No Espaciales (Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities) Portuguese: Agência AEB 10 February — Brazil Espacial Brasileira 1994 Yes Yes [14] No (Brazilian Space Yes Agency) UK Space Agency UKSA 1 April 2010 — United Yes Yes Yes Yes Kingdom Bolivian Space ABE 2012 —
Agency Spanish: Bolivia No Yes No No Agencia Boliviana Espacial
Bulgarian: Българска ИКИ-БАН 1987 —
академия на науките SRI-BAS (Space Research Bulgaria ИСЗВ-БАН Institute, Solar- STIL-BAS Yes Yes No No Terrestrial Influences Institute) Bulgarian Space Agency Canadian Space CSA 1 March 1989 — Agency ASC Canada Yes Yes Yes No French: Agence spatiale canadienne China National CNSA 22 April 1993 — China Space Administration Yes Yes Yes Yes (Chinese: 国家航天局)
Spanish: Comisión CCE 18 July 2006 — Colombiana del Espacio (Colombian Space Colombia No Yes No No Commission)
Centre for Remote CRISP 1995 —
Imaging, Sensing Singapore and No Yes No No Processing[citation needed] Consultative CCSDS show 1982 — Committee for Space International No No No No Data Systems Committee on Space COSPAR show 1958 — Research International No No No No
Czech: Ministerstvo [1] 2003[citation — dopravy České Ministry of Czech needed] republiky Transport of Republic (Ministry of Transport of the the Czech No No No No Czech Republic - Space Technologies and Satellite Republic Systems Department[citation needed][26])
Danish: Danmarks DRC 1 January 31 Rumcenter DNSC 1968 Dece (Danish National Denmark mber Yes No No No Space Center) 2006 Danish: Dansk [permane 1 January 31 Rumforskningsinstitut DRKI 2005 Dece (Danish Space nt dead link] Denmark mber No Yes No No Research Institute) DSRI 2006 European Space ESA show 31 May 1975 — Agency ASE ESA (French: Agence spatiale EWO Yes Yes Yes Yes européenne) (German: Europäische Weltraumorganisation) Geo-Informatics and GISTDA 3 November —
Space Technology สทอภ Thailand 2002 Development Agency (Thai: No Yes No No ส ำนักงำนพัฒนำเทคโนโลยีอว กำศและภูมิสำรสนเทศ)
German: Deutsches DLR 1969 — Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt Germany Yes Yes Yes No (German Aerospace Center) Hungarian: Magyar MŰI January 1992 — Űrkutatási Iroda HSO (Hungarian Space Hungary No Yes No No Office) Indian Space ISRO 15 August — India Research इसरो 1969 Organisation Yes Yes Yes Yes (Hindi: भारतीय अंतररक्ष अनुसंधान संगठन) Greek: Ινστιτούτο ΙΔΕΤ 1955 — Διαστημικών Εφαρμογών και Τηλεπισκόπησης ISARS Greece (Institute for Space No Yes No No Applications and Remote Sensing)
Instituto Nacional de INTA 1942 — Spain Técnica Yes Yes Yes No Aeroespacial
Iranian Space ISA Iran 2003 — Agency No Yes Yes Yes سازمان فضايی :Persian) (ايران Israeli Space Agency ISA April 1983 — Israel סל"ה סוכנות החלל :Hebrew) Yes Yes Yes No (הישראלית
Italian Space Agency ASI 1988 — Italy (Italian: Agenzia Spaziale Yes Yes Yes No Italiana)
Japan Aerospace JAXA 1 October —
Exploration Agency Japan 2003 (Japanese: 宇宙航空研究開 Yes Yes Yes Yes 発機構)
National Space NSA 1991 — Agency (KazCosmos Kazakhstan (KazCosmos); ); Yes Yes No No Kazakh Space SRI Research Institute New Zealand Space NZSA April 2016 — New No No No No Agency Zealand Korean Committee of KCST North 1980s 2013 Space Technology Korea (Korean: No Yes Yes No 조선우주공간기술위원회)
National Aerospace NADA North 2013 — Development Korea Administration No Yes Yes No (Korean: 국가우주개발국) Korea Aerospace KARI 10 October — South Research Institute 1989 Korea Yes Yes Yes No (Korean: 한국항공우주연구원) Lithuanian Space LSA 2007 — [citation Association Lithuania No Yes No No needed]
Malaysian National ANGKASA 2002 — Space Agency Malaysia (Malay: Agensi Yes Yes No No Angkasa Negara)
National Aeronautics NASA 1 October — and Space United 1958 Yes Yes Yes Yes Administration States National Authority for NARSS 1994 — Egypt Remote Sensing and Space Sciences No Yes No No الهيئة العامة :Arabic) لالستشعار عن بعد وعلوم (الفضاء French: Centre National CNES 19 December — d’Études Spatiales 1961 (National Center of France Yes Yes Yes No Space Research)
Paraguayan Space AEP 26 March — Agency Paraguay 2014 No No No No (Spanish: Agencia Espacial del Paraguay) Spanish: Comisión CONIDA 11 June 1974 — Nacional de Investigación y Peru Desarrollo Aeroespacial (National No Yes Yes No Commission for Aerospace Research and Development) Spanish: Comisión CNIE 1961 1991 Nacional de Investigaciones Espaciales Argentina (National No No Yes Yes Commission for Space Research) Spanish: Comisión CONAE 28 May 1991 — Nacional de Actividades Espaciales Argentina (National Space No Yes Yes No Activities Commission) Indonesian: Lembaga LAPAN 27 November — Antariksa dan Penerbangan Nasional Indonesia 1964 (National Institute of Yes Yes Yes No Aeronautics and Space) National Remote NRSC 1987 — Sensing Center of Mongolia Mongolia[citation No No No No needed] French: Centre national de CNT 1988 — la cartographie et de la télédétection Tunisia المركز الوطني لإلستشعار :Arabic) (عن بعد (National Remote No No No No Sensing Center of Tunisia)[citation needed]
Uzbek State Space USSRA 2001 — Research Agency (UzbekCosm Uzbekistan No No No No (UzbekCosmos) os) Ukrainian: Національне НКАУ 2 March 1992 — космічне агентство України NSAU Ukraine (National Space Yes Yes Yes No Agency of Ukraine)
National Space NSPO 3 October —
Organization Republic of 1991 (Chinese: 國家太空 China No Yes Yes No 中心) (Taiwan)
National Space NASRDA 1998 — Research and Nigeria No Yes No No Development Agency Dutch: Stichting SRON 1983 — Ruimteonderzoek Nederland Netherland (Institute for Space s Yes Yes No No Research Netherlands) Norwegian: Norsk NRS 1987 —
Romsenter NSC Norway No Yes Yes No (Norwegian Space Centre) Pakistan Space and SUPARCO 16 September —
Pakistan 1961 سپارکو Upper Atmosphere Research No Yes Yes No Commission پاکستان خالئی و باال فضائی :Urdu) (تحقيقاتی کميشن Portuguese: Gabinete do [58] 2009 — Espaço da FCT (FCT Space FCT SO Portugal No No No No Office)[citation needed]
Romanian: Agenţia Spaţială ASR 1991 — Română ROSA (Romanian Space Romania Yes Yes No No Agency) former Egypt Remote EASRT-RSC 1971 1994 Egypt Sensing Center No No No No French: Centre Royal de CRTS December — Télédétection Spatiale Berber: Ammas Amrrukan n Morocco 1989 Tallunt المركز الملكي لإلستشعار :Arabic) No Yes No No (البعدي الفضائي (Royal Center for Remote Sensing)[citation needed] Russian: ROSCOSMO c.1992 —
Федеральное S Russia космическое Yes Yes Yes Yes агентство (Russian Federal Space Agency) Sri Lanka Space SLSA Sri 2010 — [citation [ne Agency Lanka (Proposed) No Yes No No needed] eds update] Turkish: TÜBİTAK Uzay TÜBİTAK 1985 — Teknolojileri Araştırma Enstitüsü (TÜBİTAK UZAY) UZAY Turkey (TUBITAK Space Yes Yes No No Technologies Research Institute)
Russian: Советская СССР ca. 1955 ca. космическая программа 1991 (Soviet space Soviet Yes Yes Yes Yes program) Union Space Research and SPARRSO 1980 —
Remote Sensing Banglades No No No No Organization h Polish: Polska Agencja POLSA 2014 —
Kosmiczna POLSA POLSA (Polish Space Poland Yes Yes No No Agency) South African SANSA 9 December — South National Space 2010 No No No No Africa Agency Space Research KACST-SRI — — Saudi Institute of Saudi Arabia Arabia[citation needed] No Yes No No معهد بحوث :Arabic) (الفضاء Vietnamese: Viện Công CNVT or STI 20 November — nghệ vũ trụ Việt Nam VAST-STI 2006 (Space Technology Vietnam Yes Yes No No Institute (Vietnam))
Swedish: Rymdstyrelsen SNSA 1972 — (Swedish National Sweden Yes Yes Yes No Space Agency)
Swiss Space Office SSO 1998 — No No No No Switzerland Turkmenistan 2011 —
National Space Turkmenist No No No No Agency an United Nations Office UNOOSA 13 December — — — — — for Outer Space United 1958 Affairs Nations United Nations UNCOPUOS show 12 December — — — — — Committee on the 1959
Peaceful Uses of Outer Space United Arab Emirates UAESA 2014 — Space Agency United No Yes No No Arab وكالةاإلمارات :Arabic) Emirates (للفضاء Mohammed bin MBRSC 6 February — Rashid Space Centre Dubai, 2006 (as EIAST) 2015 على مركز محمد :Arabic) No Yes No No (United (as MBRSC (بن راشد للفضاء Arab Emirates
List of space agencies with launch capability Space agency Count Foun Termin Capabilities of the space agency ry ded ated Name Acro Launch Multiple Developed and Operates Recoverable nym Capable Satellites Deployed Extraterrestrial Satellites Launch Cryogenic Probe capable capable Rocket Engines
Air Force Space AFSPC 15 Sept. — Command United 1985 Yes Yes Yes No Yes States China National CNSA 22 April —
Space People's 1993 Administration Republic Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (Chinese: 中华人民共和 of China 国国家航天局) European Space ESA show 31 May — Agency ASE ESA 1975 (French: Agence EWO spatiale européenne) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (German: Europäische Weltraumorganisation)
Iranian Space ISA Iran 2003 — Agency ISA Yes No No No No سازمان فضايی :Persian) (ايران Israeli Space ISA April —
Israel 1983 סל"ה Agency סוכנות החלל :Hebrew) Yes No No No No (הישראלית وكالة الفضاء :Arabic) (اإلسرائيلية
Italian Space ASI 1988 —
Agency Italy Yes Yes No No No (Italian: Agenzia Spaziale Italiana) National KCST 1980s — Aerospace North Development Korea Administration Yes No No No No (Korean: 조선우주공간기술위원 회) Korea Aerospace KARI October —
Research Institute 1989 항우연 South Yes No No No No (Korean: Korea 한국항공우주연구원) Indian Space ISRO 15 —
Research इसरो India August Organisation 1969 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (Hindi: भारतीय अंतररक्ष अनुसंधान संगठन) Japan Aerospace JAXA 1 —
Exploration Japan October Agency 2003 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (Japanese: 宇宙航空研 究開発機構)
National NASA 1 — Aeronautics and October United Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Space States 1958 Administration French: Centre National CNES 19 Dec. — d’Études Spatiales 1961 (National Center France Yes Yes Yes No No of Space Research) Ukrainian: Національне НКАУ 2 March — космічне агентство України NSAU Ukraine 1992 (National Space Yes Yes No No No Agency of Ukraine) Russian: Федеральное ROSC ca. 1992 — космическое агентство OSMO (Russian Federal Russia S Space Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes RFSA Agency(Roscosm os)) Russian: Советская СССР ca. 1955 ca. 1991 космическая Soviet программа Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (Soviet space Union program)
List of space agencies with human spaceflight capability Space agency Country Founded Terminated Accomplished tasks by the space agency
Name Acrony Human Spaceflight Human Space Spacewalk Space Rendezvous Operates Space Station m capable launch capable capable and Docking capable
China CNSA April 22, — People's National 1993 Republic of China Space Administration Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (Chinese: 中华人民 共和国国家航天局) Russian: ROSCOS December — Федеральное Russia космическое MOS 26, RFSA 1991Dissoluti агентство Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes (Russian on of Soviet Federal Space Union Agency) National NASA United October 1, — July 8, 2011 last July 8, 2011 last July 19, 2011 last Aeronautics 1958 States Yes Yes and Space Administration Russian: СССР July 22, 1951 December 26, October 2, 1991 last October 2, 1991 July 27, 1991 last December 26, 1991 last December 26, 1991 last Советская Soviet космическая Union 1991 Dissolution last программа of Soviet Union (Soviet space program)
List of space agencies with lunar landing capability[edit] Space agency Country Founded Terminated Accomplished tasks by the space agency Manned Moon Landing and Name Acronym Circumlunar Manned Controlled Unmanned Moon Unmanned Automated Lunar sample return Spaceflight impact with Soft Landing (automated) lunar sample return Lunar surface rover operation mission
China National CNSA 22 April 1993 —
Space People's Administration Republic of No Yes Yes Yes No No (Chinese: 中华人民共 China 和国国家航天局)
Indian Space ISRO 15 August — India Research इसरो 1969 Organisation No Yes No No No No (Hindi: भारतीय अंतररक्ष अनुसंधान संगठन)
National NASA United 1 October — Aeronautics and 1958 States Yes Yes Yes [75] [76] Yes Space No No Administration Russian: Советская СССР ca. 1955 ca. 1991 космическая Soviet программа Union [77] [78][79] (Soviet space No Yes Yes Yes Yes No program)
Expected and proposed future space agencies[edit] Space agency Country Possible Current status Ref(s) expected date of Name Acronym foundation
Philippine Space PhilSA Philippines — Approved for creation in December 2018 under House [81][82][ Agency Bill No. 8541. It will be attached to the Department of 83] Science and Technology (DOST) and a Philippine Space Development Fund was created to fund its operation. 30 hectares of land has been allocated within the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga and Tarlac as the official site of PhilSA.
Sri Lanka SLASA Sri Lanka Immediate goal is to construct and launch two satellites. [84][85] Aeronautics and Sri Lankan Telecommunications Regulatory Commission Space Agency has signed an agreement with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd to get relevant help and resources.
African Space AfriSpace African Union — Proposed in 2015 [86][87][ Agency 88][89]
Pan-Arab Space PASA — Stalled. Proposed in 2009, at progress stage. [90] Arab League Agency
South American — Proposed in 2011, at progress stage [91] South America Space Agency
Budgets The annual budgets listed are the official budgets for national space agencies available in public domain. The budgets are not normalized to the expenses of space research in different countries, i.e. higher budget does not [92][93] necessarily mean more activity or better performance in space exploration. Note also that budget could be used for different projects: e.g. GPS is maintained from the US defence budget, whereas ESA's money is used for developing the European Galileo positioning system. The data for authoritarian countries are unreliable. For European contributors to ESA, the national budgets shown include also their contributions to ESA.
Agency Budget (in (country/region) millions of US $) NASA (USA) 19,500 CNSA (China) 11,000 ESA (Europe) 6,271 Roscosmos 3,272 (Russia) CNES (France) 2,600 DLR (Germany) 2,500 JAXA (Japan) 2,030 ASI (Italy) 1,800 ISRO (India) 1,500 UKSA (UK) 529 CSA (Canada) 488.7 KARI (South 366 Korea) ASA (Algeria) 360 AEB (Brazil) 259 SSAU (Ukraine) 250 CONAE 180 (Argentina) ISA and ISRC 139 (Iran) INTA (Spain) 135 NSO 110 (Netherlands) SNSA (Sweden) 100 SUPARCO 45 (Pakistan) SANSA (South 11.8 Africa) SSO 10 (Switzerland) AEM (Mexico) 8.34
Country/ region Agency Budget (in Year millions of US $)
United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration 19,500 2017 European Space Agency 6,271 2017
Russian Federal Space Agency 3,272 2015 Russia French Space Agency 2,600 2017 France German Aerospace Center 2,500 2015 Germany Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency 2,030 2013 Japan Italian Space Agency 1,800 2014 Italy China National Space Administration [102] China 11,000 Indian Space Research Organisation 1,700 2018-19 India United Kingdom UK Space Agency 529 Canada Canadian Space Agency 488.7 Korea Aerospace Research Institute 366 FY 2007 South Korea Algerian Space Agency 360 2017 Algeria Brazilian Space Agency 299 2015 Brazil State Space Agency of Ukraine 250 Ukraine Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales 180 2016 Argentina
Iran Iranian Space Agency and Iranian Space Research Center 139 2014-15 Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial 135 2009 Spain Netherlands Space Office 110 Netherlands Swedish National Space Agency 100 2011 Sweden Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission 45 2018-19 Pakistan South African National Space Agency 11.8 2014-15 South Africa Swiss Space Office 10 Switzerland
Mexico Mexican Space Agency 8.34 World All space agencies (Total of listed budgets) About 43,400 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_government_space_agencies