Space Agencies

Space agencies are government or private organizations dedicated to the exploration of outer space, scientific research, and the development of space technologies. They oversee missions ranging from launching satellites and spacecraft to exploring other planets, studying the cosmos, and advancing aeronautics.

  • The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the U.S. government agency responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research.

    Established in 1958, NASA has led numerous groundbreaking missions in space exploration, scientific discovery, and technology development, including landing humans on the Moon and exploring Mars.

  • The Space Exploration Technologies Corp. is a private aerospace company founded by Elon Musk in 2002, aiming to reduce space transportation costs and enable the colonization of Mars.

    Known for innovations like the Falcon rockets and the Dragon spacecraft, SpaceX became the first private company to send humans to the International Space Station in 2020.

  • The European Space Agency is an intergovernmental organization established in 1975, dedicated to space exploration and cooperation among European countries.

    ESA conducts a wide range of missions, including satellite launches, planetary exploration, and Earth observation, and collaborates with other space agencies, including NASA and Roscosmos.


  • Indian Space Research Organisation is India's national space agency. It operates as the principal research and development arm of the Department of Space, which is directly overseen by the Prime Minister of India, with the Chairman of ISRO also serving as the chief executive of the DoS.

  • The Brazilian Space Agency is the civilian authority in Brazil responsible for the country's space program. It operates a spaceport at Alcântara, and a rocket launch site at Barreira do Inferno. It is the largest and most prominent space agency in Latin America.

  • CNES is the French national space agency. Headquartered in central Paris, the agency comes under the supervision of the ministries of the Armed Forces, Economy and Finance and Higher Education, Research and Innovation. It operates from the Toulouse Space Centre and the Guiana Space Centre.

  • The German Aerospace Center is the national center for aerospace, energy and transportation research of Germany, founded in 1969. It is headquartered in Cologne with 35 locations throughout Germany. The DLR is engaged in a wide range of research and development projects in national and international partnerships.


  • The Italian Space Agency is a government agency established in 1988 to fund, regulate and coordinate space exploration activities in Italy. The agency cooperates with numerous national and international entities who are active in aerospace research and technology.