This is a list of government agencies engaged in activities related to outer space and space exploration.
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 Nationality 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 space 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. In particular the Soviet space program is not listed since it was not organized as a consolidated agency.
Name | Initialisms/Acronym | Country | Founded | Terminated | Capabilities of the space agency | Ref(s) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Astronauts | Operates Satellites | Sounding Rockets capable | Recoverable Biological Sounding Rockets capable | ||||||
Australian Space Agency | ASA | ![]() |
2018, 1 July | — | No | Yes | Yes | No | [1][2][citation needed] |
Belarus Space Agency | BSA | ![]() |
2009 | — | No | No | Yes | No | [3] |
Central American Association for Aeronautics and Space (Asociación Centroamericana de Aeronáutica y el Espacio) | ACAE | ![]() |
2010 | — | No | Yes | No | No | [4] |
Croatian Space Agency (Hrvatska Svemirska Agencija) | CROSA HSA |
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2007 | — | No | Yes | No | No | [5] |
Mexican Space Agency | AEM | ![]() |
2010, 30 July | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | — |
Algerian Space Agency |
ASAL | ![]() |
2002, 16 January | — | No | Yes | Yes | No | — |
Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization | APSCO | 2005, 28 October | — | No | Yes | No | No | — | |
Austrian Space Agency | ALR | ![]() |
1972, 12 July | — | No | No | No | No | [6][7] |
Azerbaijan National Aerospace Agency[8] | AMAKA | ![]() |
1974, 21 February | — | No | Yes | No | No | — |
National Space Science Agency | NSSA | ![]() |
2014, 9 April | — | No | No | No | No | [9] |
Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy | BIRA IASB BISA |
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1964, 25 November | — | Yes | No | No | No | [10] |
Bolivarian Agency for Space Activities | ABAE | ![]() |
2008, 1 January | — | No | Yes | No | No | [11] |
Brazilian Space Agency | AEB | ![]() |
1994, 10 February | — | Yes | Yes | Yes[12] | No | [13] |
UK Space Agency | UKSA | ![]() |
2010, 1 April | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | [citation needed] |
Bolivian Space Agency | ABE | ![]() |
2012 | — | No | Yes | No | No | [14][15][16] |
Bulgarian Space Agency | ИКИ-БАН SRI-BAS ИСЗВ-БАН STIL-BAS |
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1987 | — | Yes | Yes | No | No | [17] |
Canadian Space Agency | CSA ASC |
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1989, 1 March | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | [18] |
China National Space Administration | CNSA | ![]() |
1993, 22 April | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [19] |
Colombian Space Commission | CCE | ![]() |
2006, 18 July | — | No | Yes | No | No | [20] |
Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing | CRISP | ![]() |
1995 | — | No | Yes | No | No | |
Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems | CCSDS |
International ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
1982 | — | No | No | No | No | — |
Czech: Ministerstvo dopravy České republiky (Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic – Space Technologies and Satellite Systems Department[citation needed][21]) |
[1] Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic |
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2003[citation needed] | — | Yes | No | No | No | [21] |
Danish National Space Center | DRC DNSC |
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1968, 1 January | 31 December 2006 |
Yes | No | No | No | [citation needed] |
Danish Space Research Institute | DRKI[permanent dead link] DSRI |
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2005, 1 January | 31 December 2006 |
No | Yes | No | No | [citation needed] |
European Space Agency | ESA ASE EWO |
1975, 31 May | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [22][23] | |
Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency | GISTDA สทอภ |
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2002, 3 November | — | No | Yes | No | No | [24] |
Serbian Office for Space Sciences, Research and Development | SERBSPACE | ![]() |
2016, August | — | No | Yes | No | No | — |
German Aerospace Center | DLR | ![]() |
1969 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | [25] |
Hungarian Space Office | MŰI HSO |
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1992, January | — | No | Yes | No | No | |
Indian Space Research Organisation | ISRO इसरो |
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1969, 15 August | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [26][27][28] |
Greek: Ελληνικό Κέντρο Διαστήματος (Hellenic Space Center) |
ΕΛΚΕΔ HSC |
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2019, 9 August | — | No | No | No | No | [citation needed] |
Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial | INTA | ![]() |
1942 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | [29][30][31] |
Iranian Space Agency | ISA | ![]() |
2004 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [32][33][34] |
Israeli Space Agency |
ISA סל"ה |
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1983, April | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | [citation needed] |
Italian Space Agency | ASI | ![]() |
1988 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | [35][36] |
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency | JAXA | ![]() |
2003, 1 October | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [37][38] |
Luxembourg Space Agency |
LSA | ![]() |
2018, September | — | No | No | No | No | —[39] |
National Space Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan | KazCosmos KazKosmos |
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2007, 27 March | — | Yes | Yes | No | No | [40] |
New Zealand Space Agency |
NZSA | ![]() |
2016, April | — | No | No | No | No | — |
Korean Committee of Space Technology | KCST | ![]() |
1980s | 2013 | No | Yes | Yes | No | [41][42][43] |
National Aerospace Development Administration | NADA | ![]() |
2013 | — | No | Yes | Yes | No | [44] |
Korea Aerospace Research Institute | KARI | ![]() |
1989, 10 October | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | [citation needed] |
Lithuanian Space Association[citation needed] | LSA | ![]() |
2007 | — | No | Yes | No | No | [45] |
Malaysian Space Agency | MYSA | ![]() |
2002 | — | Yes | Yes | No | No | [46] |
National Aeronautics and Space Administration | NASA | ![]() |
1958, 1 October | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [47] |
National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences | NARSS | ![]() |
1994 | — | No | Yes | No | No | [48] |
National Space Program | NSP | ![]() |
1986 | 1996 | No | Yes | No | No | [49] |
National Centre for Space Studies | CNES | ![]() |
1961, 19 December | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | [50] |
Paraguayan Space Agency (Agencia Espacial de Paraguay) | AEP | ![]() |
2014, 26 March | — | No | No | No | No | — |
National Commission for Aerospace Research and Development | CONIDA | ![]() |
1974, 11 June | — | No | Yes | Yes | No | [51] |
Philippine Space Agency | PhilSA | ![]() |
2019, 8 August | — | No | Yes | No | No | [53][54] |
Comisión Nacional de Investigaciones Espaciales | CNIE | ![]() |
1961 | 1991 | No | No | Yes | Yes | [55][56] |
Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales | CONAE | ![]() |
1991, 28 May | — | No | Yes | Yes | No | [55] |
National Institute of Aeronautics and Space | LAPAN | ![]() |
1964, 27 November | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | [citation needed] |
National Remote Sensing Center of Mongolia[citation needed] | NRSC | ![]() |
1987 | — | No | No | No | No | [57] |
French: Centre national de la cartographie et de la télédétection (Arabic: المركز الوطني للإستشعار عن بعد) (National Remote Sensing Center of Tunisia)[citation needed] |
CNCT | ![]() |
1988 | — | No | No | No | No | — |
Uzbek State Space Research Agency (UzbekCosmos) | USSRA (UzbekCosmos) | ![]() |
2001 | — | No | No | No | No | [2][58] |
State Space Agency of Ukraine | ДКАУ SSAU |
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1992, 2 March | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | [3] |
National Space Organization | NSPO | ![]() |
1991, 3 October | — | No | Yes | Yes | No | [59] |
National Space Research and Development Agency | NASRDA | ![]() |
1998 | — | No | Yes | No | No | [citation needed] |
Netherlands Institute for Space Research | SRON | ![]() |
1983 | — | Yes | Yes | No | No | [citation needed] |
Norwegian Space Centre | NRS NSC |
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1987 | — | No | Yes | Yes | No | [60] |
Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission | SUPARCO سپارکو |
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1961, 16 September | — | No | Yes | Yes | No | [citation needed] |
Portugal Space | — | ![]() |
2019 | — | No | No | No | No | [61][62] |
Romanian Space Agency | ASR ROSA |
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1991 | — | Yes | Yes | No | No | [citation needed] |
Egypt Remote Sensing Center (defunct) | EASRT-RSC | ![]() |
1971 | 1994 | No | No | No | No | [48] |
French: Centre Royal de Télédétection Spatiale Berber: Ammas Amrrukan n Tallunt (Arabic: المركز الملكي للإستشعار البعدي الفضائي) (Royal Center for Remote Sensing)[citation needed] |
CRTS | ![]() |
1989, December | — | No | No | No | No | — |
Roscosmos | ROSCOSMOS РОСКОСМОС |
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c.1992 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [citation needed] |
Turkish Space Agency | TUA Türk Uzay Ajansı |
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2018 | — | No | Yes | Yes | No | [63][64][65] |
Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization | SPARRSO | ![]() |
1980 | — | No | No | No | No | [66] |
Polish Space Agency | POLSA POLSA |
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2014 | — | Yes | Yes | No | No | [citation needed] |
South African National Space Agency | SANSA | ![]() |
2010, 9 December | — | No | No | No | No | [67] |
Space Research Institute of Saudi Arabia[citation needed] (Arabic: معهد بحوث الفضاء) |
KACST-SRI | ![]() |
1977 | — | No | Yes | No | No | — |
Space Technology Institute (Viện Công nghệ vũ trụ Việt Nam) | CNVT or STI VAST-STI |
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2006, 20 November | — | Yes | Yes | No | No | [68] |
Swedish National Space Agency | SNSA | ![]() |
1972 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | [citation needed] |
Swiss Space Office | SSO | ![]() |
1998 | — | No | No | No | No | [69][70] |
Turkmenistan National Space Agency | TNSA | ![]() |
2011 | — | No | Yes | No | No | [71] |
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs | UNOOSA | ![]() |
1958, 13 December | — | — | — | — | — | [72] |
United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space | UNCOPUOS | 1959, 12 December | — | — | — | — | — | [73] | |
United Arab Emirates Space Agency | UAESA | ![]() |
2014 | — | Yes | Yes | No | No | [74] |
Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre | MBRSC | ![]() ![]() |
2006, 6 February (as EIAST) 2015 (as MBRSC) |
— | Yes | Yes | No | No | [75] |
Syrian Space Agency | SSA | ![]() |
2014, 18 March | — | No | No | No | No | [76][77][78][79] |
Space agency | Country | Founded | Terminated | Capabilities of the space agency | Ref(s) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Acronym | Multiple Satellites Launch capable | Developed and Deployed Cryogenic Rocket Engines | Operates Extraterrestrial Probe | Recoverable Satellites capable | ||||
Australian Space Agency | ASA | ![]() |
1 July 2018 | — | No | No | No | No | [1][2][citation needed] |
China National Space Administration | CNSA | ![]() |
22 April 1993 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [19] |
European Space Agency | ESA ASE EWO |
31 May 1975 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [22][23] | |
Iranian Space Agency | ISA ISA |
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2004 | — | No | No | No | No | |
Israeli Space Agency | ISA סל"ה |
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April 1983 | — | No | No | No | No | [citation needed] |
Italian Space Agency | ASI | ![]() |
1988 | — | Yes | No | Yes | No | [80] |
National Aerospace Development Administration |
KCST | ![]() |
1980s | — | No | No | No | No | [citation needed] |
Korea Aerospace Research Institute |
KARI 항우연 |
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October 1989 | — | No | No | No | No | [citation needed] |
Indian Space Research Organisation | ISRO इसरो |
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15 August 1969 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [26][27][28] |
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency | JAXA | ![]() |
1 October 2003 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [37] |
National Aeronautics and Space Administration | NASA | ![]() |
1 October 1958 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [47] |
French: Centre National d’Études Spatiales | CNES | ![]() |
19 December 1961 | — | Yes | Yes | No | No | [50] |
State Space Agency of Ukraine | ДКАУ SSAU |
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2 March 1992 | — | Yes | No | No | No | [citation needed] |
Roscosmos | ROSCOSMOS РОСКОСМОС |
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ca. 1992 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [citation needed] |
United States Space Force | USSF | ![]() |
20 December 2019 | — | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | [81][82][83] |
Space agency | Country | Founded | Terminated | Accomplished tasks by the space agency | Ref(s) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Acronym | Human Space launch capable | Spacewalk capable | Space Rendezvous and Docking capable | Operates Space Station | ||||
China National Space Administration | CNSA | ![]() |
April 22, 1993 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [19][84] |
National Aeronautics and Space Administration | NASA | ![]() |
October 1, 1958 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [47] |
Russian Federal Space Agency | ROSCOSMOS RFSA |
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December 26, 1991 Dissolution of Soviet Union | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | [85] |
Space agency | Country | Founded | Terminated | Accomplished tasks by the space agency | Ref(s) | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Acronym | Circumlunar crewed spaceflight | Controlled impact with surface | Uncrewed soft landing | Uncrewed (automated) rover operation | Automated sample return mission | Crewed Moon landing and sample return | ||||
China National Space Administration | CNSA | ![]() |
22 April 1993 | — | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | [19] |
European Space Agency | ESA ASE EWO |
31 May 1975 | — | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Huygens (spacecraft), though launched and orbited by NASA | |
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency | JAXA | ![]() |
1 October 2003 | — | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Hayabusa |
Indian Space Research Organisation | ISRO इसरो |
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15 August 1969 | — | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | [26][27][28] |
Italian Space Agency | ASI | ![]() |
1988 | — | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Huygens (spacecraft), though launched and orbited by NASA |
National Aeronautics and Space Administration | NASA | ![]() |
1 October 1958 | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[4] | Yes | [47] |
Russian Federal Space Agency | ROSCOSMOS RFSA |
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December 26, 1991 (main inheritor of the Soviet space program) | — | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
^ sample successfully taken by OSIRIS-REx, though not returned yet
Space agency | Country/Countries | Expected date of formation | Current status | Ref(s) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Acronym | ||||
Sri Lanka Aeronautics and Space Agency | SLASA | ![]() |
— | Proposed in 2009. Immediate goal was to construct and launch two satellites. Sri Lankan Telecommunications Regulatory Commission had signed an agreement with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd to get the relevant help and resources. | [86] |
African Space Agency | AfSA | ![]() |
2023 | Proposed in 2015. AU plans to launch the agency by 2019 with a proposed headquarter in Cairo, Egypt. Funded by Egypt. See the stamp issued by Egypt on 19 September 2019. | [87][88][89][90][91] |
Armenian Space Agency | ArmCosmos | ![]() |
— | Proposed in 2013 with the goal to launch satellites. Negotiating with the International Telecommunications Union to clear the path for its prospective launch. | [92] |
South American Space Agency | ![]() |
— | Proposed in 2011, at progress stage | [93] | |
Caribbean Space Agency | ![]() |
— | Proposed in 2017, at progress stage | [94] | |
Cambodian Aeronautics and Space Agency | ![]() |
— | Proposed in 2016, at progress stage | [95] | |
Haiti Space Agency | HSA | ![]() |
— | Proposed in 2018, at progress stage | [96] |
Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency | CELAC | — | Proposed in 2020, at progress stage | [97] |
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 necessarily mean more activity or better performance in space exploration.[98][99] 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[citation needed]. The data for authoritarian countries are unreliable. For European contributors to ESA, the national budgets shown include also their contributions to ESA.
Agency (country/region) | Budget (in millions of US $) |
---|---|
NASA (United States) | 22,629
|
CNSA (China) | 11,000
|
ESA (Europe) | 7,430
|
DLR (Germany) | 4,233
|
CNES (France) | 3,024
|
Roscosmos (Russia) | 2,530
|
ISRO (India) | 1,900
|
ASI (Italy) | 1,800
|
JAXA (Japan) | 1,699
|
KARI (South Korea) | 583
|
UKSA (United Kingdom) | 500
|
ISA , ISRC and ARI (Iran) | 8
|
ASA (Algeria) | 360
|
CSA (Canada) | 246
|
ISAB (Belgium) | 224
|
INTA (Spain) | 211
|
SSO (Switzerland) | 177
|
NSO (Netherlands) | 110
|
SNSA (Sweden) | 100
|
NOSA (Norway) | 97
|
SSAU (Ukraine) | 80
|
ALR (Austria) | 75
|
LAPAN (Indonesia) | 55
|
AEB (Brazil) | 47
|
CONAE (Argentina) | 45
|
PhilSA (Philippines) | 38
|
ISA (Israel) | 14.5
|
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