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This is a list of government agencies engaged in activities related to outer space and space exploration. United Nations - Office for Outer Space Affairs The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA) is an organization of the General Assembly charged with implementing the Assembly's space-related policies. It is located in the United Nations Office in Vienna. The Office implements the Programme on Space Applications and maintains the Register of Objects Launched into Outer Space. The Office also provides support to developing nations in using space technology for economic development. European Space Agency The European Space Agency (ESA), established in 1975, is an inter-governmental organisation dedicated to exploration of space with currently 17 member states (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom). According to its website, “By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country.” Its headquarters are in Paris, France. ESA has a staff (excluding sub-contractors and national space agencies) of about 1,900 with a budget of 3 billion euros in 2005. Argentina The Argentine Space Agency (CONAE), founded in 1996, is oriented to the development of Earth Observing satellites. It has developed several satellite missions including SAC-A, the failed mission SAC-B and the currently operating SAC-C Australia The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation has divisions for Astronomy & Space Facilities, Astrophysics, Radio Astronomy, and Space Engineering. Austria The Austrian Space Agency was founded in 1977 and later joined the ESA in 1987. Bangladesh The Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization was established in 1980. Belgium The Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy was created in 1964. Brazil The Brazilian Space Agency, founded in 1994, directs one of the youngest space programs. Brazil's space program is the most advanced in South America. It suffered a major setback in 2003 due to a rocket explosion that killed several technicians. They had their first success on October 23, 2004 with a VSV-30, or Brazilian Exploration Vehicle, launched on a sub-orbital mission. The agency's primary launch site is at Alcântara. Bulgaria The Bulgarian Aerospace Agency was established in 1969. Canada The Canadian Space Agency (CSA or, in French, the ASC) is the government agency responsible for Canada's space program. It was established in March 1989 by the Canadian Space Agency Act and sanctioned in December 1990. The agency is led by its president, who reports to the Minister of Industry. Czech Republic See Czech Space Office. Denmark The Danish National Space Center was established on January 1, 2005. It came about as a result of combining the Danish Space Research Institute with the geodesy part of the National Survey and Cadastre of Denmark. France See CNES. Germany See German Aerospace Center. Greece See Institute for Space Applications and Remote Sensing. Hungary See Hungarian Space Office. India The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), was established on August 15, 1969 under the Department of Atomic Energy of the Government of India. It manages all of India's space activities, and has a well developed space programme. ISRO has capability to build and launch satellites up to 2000 kg into polar and geostationary orbit. It has 2 major satellite launch vehicles called PSLV (Polar satellite launch vehicle) and GSLV (Geosynchronous satellite Launch Vehicle). Most of ISRO's programs are geared towards nation building, though there are a few efforts in scientific research and space exploration. ISRO has started the work on its first Unmanned Lunar program called Chandrayaan-1 (Moon-Ship-1) which is slated to be launched by 2007. Indonesia See National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN). Iran The Iranian Space Agency (ISA), is a governmental organization and the president of this organization is one of the deputies of the ministry of communication and information technology. ISA is established to do research, design and implementation in the field of space technology remote sensing and development of national and international space technology and communication networks.ISA performs the approvals of the Iran Space Council(ISC), which is established in order to peacefully use space technology and science and the above atmosphere space to develop the culture, technology science and finance of the country. The head of ISC is the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Israel See Israeli Space Agency. Italy The Italian Space Agency was established in 1988. Japan The Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency (JAXA) is Japan's aerospace agency. It was formed October 1, 2003, by the merger of NASDA, the National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan and the Institute of Space and Aeronautical Science. Malaysia Angkasa was established in 2002. Netherlands See Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON). Nigeria The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) was established in 1998. North Korea See North Korean Space Agency Norway See Norwegian Space Centre. Pakistan The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), was established on September 16, 1961 on the advice of Dr. Abdus Salam. Consequently, a Space Sciences Research Wing of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) was established through an Executive Order of the President of Pakistan, also on the September 16, 1961. Since then, the space agency had been neglected and ignored; it wasn't until the late 1990s did the government seriously take SUPARCO, and since then has successfully developed and launched 2 satellites into space, BADR-I and BADR-B. On February 3, 2006 President Pervez Musharraf visited the SUPARCO labs in Karachi and pledged to put Pakistan in the space map. Future plans for SUPARCO are to develop its own satellite launch vehicle, send Pakistani astronauts into orbit and to conduct unmanned space missions to the moon. See Official Website of SUPARCO Peoples Republic of China
Peru See Peru Space Agency (CONIDA). Poland See Space Research Centre, part of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Republic of China (Taiwan) See National Space Organization. Romania See Romanian Space Agency. Russia The Russian Federal Space Agency (FKA, Roskosmos) (in Russian: Федеральное космическое агенство), is the government agency responsible for Russia's space science program. It was formed after the breakup of the Soviet Union and the dissolution of the Soviet space program. Spain See Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial. South Korea The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) was established in 1981. Sweden See Swedish National Space Board. Switzerland See Swiss Space Office. Thailand The Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) was established 2 November 2002. Ukraine The National Space Agency of Ukraine (NSAU) is the Ukrainian government agency responsible for space policy and programs, established in 1992. It oversees Ukraine's national and commercial space research, construction, and launch programs. Launches are conducted at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Russia, and on the Sea Launch platform. United Kingdom See British National Space Centre. United States In July 29, 1958, President Eisenhower signed the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 establishing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). When it began operations on October 1, 1958, NASA consisted mainly of the four laboratories and some 8,000 employees of the government's 46-year-old research agency for aeronautics, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). However, within little more than a decade the United States, through NASA, placed the first human, Neil Armstrong, on the moon. The United States also produced the first non-governmental spaceflight when Mike Melvill piloted Scaled Composites' SpaceShipOne on its first flight past the edge of space on June 21, 2004 Soviet Union See Soviet space program. See also | |||||||||
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