Every Space Agency in the World: The Complete Directory

From NASA's multi-billion-dollar programs to emerging agencies in Africa and the Middle East, the global space landscape has never been more diverse. Dozens of countries have established space agencies or dedicated government bodies for space activities. This directory is organized by region, with budgets and staff figures from official sources where they are published, plus flagship missions and capabilities.

Whether you're researching international partnerships, tracking government space spending, or exploring career opportunities abroad, this guide covers every space agency you need to know.

North America

United States

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)

• Founded: 1958
• Budget: ~$24.4 billion (FY2026 enacted)
• Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
• Key Programs: Artemis (lunar return), James Webb Space Telescope, Commercial Crew (SpaceX, Boeing), International Space Station operations
• Employees: about 14,000 civil servants (NASA estimate after 2025 departures) plus a large contractor workforce
• Notable: The world's largest civilian space agency by budget. NASA operates 10 field centers including Kennedy Space Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Johnson Space Center.

U.S. Space Force (USSF)

• Founded: 2019
• Budget: $26.3 billion requested for FY2026, or $40.1 billion including $13.8 billion of reconciliation money
• Headquarters: Pentagon, Arlington, VA
• Key Programs: Space Domain Awareness, GPS III constellation, missile warning, satellite communications, Golden Dome defense initiative
• Notable: Sixth branch of U.S. armed forces dedicated to space operations. Operates the Space Surveillance Network, part of the tracking that keeps about 47,000 orbital objects in catalogues.

NRO (National Reconnaissance Office)

• Founded: 1961 (declassified 1992)
• Budget: Classified
• Key Programs: Classified reconnaissance satellite constellations, next-generation overhead architecture

Canada

CSA (Canadian Space Agency)

• Founded: 1989
• Budget: CAD 913.9 million planned spending (2026-27)
• Headquarters: Longueuil, Quebec
• Key Programs: Canadarm3 (designed for the Lunar Gateway and pivoting to lunar-surface work after NASA paused Gateway in March 2026), a Lunar Utility Vehicle for NASA's Moon Base, RADARSAT Constellation Mission, Artemis participation, astronaut program (Jeremy Hansen on Artemis II)
• Notable: Canada's Canadarm technology has been used on the Space Shuttle and ISS. CSA is a key Artemis Accords signatory.

Mexico

AEM (Agencia Espacial Mexicana)

• Founded: 2010
• Headquarters: Mexico City
• Key Programs: Earth observation, satellite communications, STEM education initiatives

Europe

European Space Agency (Multinational)

ESA (European Space Agency)

• Founded: 1975
• Budget: €7.68 billion (2025)
• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Member States: 23, including France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland; Cyprus, Slovakia, Latvia and Lithuania are Associate Members
• Key Programs: Ariane 6 launch vehicle, Copernicus Earth observation, Galileo navigation, ExoMars, JUICE (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer), the Orion European Service Module, the I-Hab module (continuing to critical design review after NASA paused Gateway in 2026), Euclid space telescope
• Notable: The world's second-largest civilian space agency. ESA's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana provides equatorial launch access.

EUMETSAT

• Founded: 1986
• Headquarters: Darmstadt, Germany
• Key Programs: Meteosat weather satellites, MetOp polar-orbiting satellites, Meteosat Third Generation

France

CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales)

• Founded: 1961
• Budget: €2.54 billion (2025, including the French contribution to ESA)
• Headquarters: Paris and Toulouse
• Key Programs: Ariane launch vehicles (through Arianespace), SPOT/Pleiades Earth observation, SVOM, Mars missions with NASA
• Notable: France has the largest national space budget in Europe. CNES manages the Guiana Space Centre, ESA's primary launch site.

Germany

DLR (Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt)

• Founded: 1969
• Budget: €1.58 billion (2024, German Space Agency at DLR: national programme plus Germany's ESA contribution)
• Headquarters: Cologne
• Key Programs: Earth observation (TerraSAR-X, TanDEM-X), ISS research (Columbus module), robotics, propulsion research
• Notable: DLR is both a space agency and a major aerospace research organization, with 11,786 employees in 2024.

Italy

ASI (Agenzia Spaziale Italiana)

• Founded: 1988
• Budget: about €2.28 billion (2026 planned spending)
• Headquarters: Rome
• Key Programs: COSMO-SkyMed radar satellites, Vega launch vehicle, ISS contributions, Artemis participation
• Notable: Italy is the third-largest ESA contributor and a major manufacturer of ISS modules through Thales Alenia Space.

United Kingdom

UKSA (UK Space Agency)

• Founded: 2010
• Budget: £768.5 million (2025-26 outturn)
• Headquarters: Harwell, Oxfordshire
• Key Programs: national space strategy, launch from SaxaVord Spaceport, Earth observation; since April 1, 2026 the agency is a directorate of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
• Notable: The UK is pursuing sovereign launch capability from Scottish spaceports and is a major commercial space economy.

Other European Agencies

• Spain (AEE): Agencia Espacial Española, operating since April 2023 and headquartered in Seville. The research institute INTA (founded 1942) also works on space.
• Netherlands (NSO): Netherlands Space Office. Active in Earth observation, ESA contributions, and NewSpace ecosystem support.
• Belgium (BELSPO): Belgian Federal Science Policy Office. Key ESA contributor, active in Proba satellite series.
• Switzerland (SSO): Swiss Space Office. Strong in clean space technology and precision instruments.
• Sweden (SNSA): Swedish National Space Agency. Sweden's Esrange Space Center, a key European sounding rocket site, is owned and operated by the state-owned Swedish Space Corporation.
• Norway (NOSA): Norwegian Space Agency. Active in maritime satellite services, Arctic monitoring, Andøya Spaceport development.
• Denmark (DTU Space): Technical University of Denmark's space division. Instrumentation and Earth observation focus.
• Austria (FFG): Austrian Research Promotion Agency handles space. Active in ESA programs, satellite positioning.
• Poland (POLSA): Polish Space Agency. Founded 2014. Growing ESA member with satellite observation programs.
• Romania (ROSA): Romanian Space Agency. Founded 1991. ESA member since 2011.
• Portugal (PT Space): Portugal Space Agency. Founded 2019. Focuses on Earth observation and Atlantic monitoring.
• Czech Republic (CSO): Czech Space Office. Active in ESA programs, space instrumentation.
• Greece (HSA): Hellenic Space Agency. Founded 2019. Focuses on Earth observation and telecommunications.
• Luxembourg (LSA): Luxembourg Space Agency. Founded 2018. Pioneering space resources legislation, home to SES satellite operator.
• Ireland: Enterprise Ireland manages space activities. Active in ESA through optional programs.
• Hungary (HSO): Hungarian Space Office. ESA member, satellite development.
• Finland: Ministry of Economic Affairs manages space. Active in Arctic satellite communications.
• Estonia (ESTCube): Estonian space program. Developing small satellites and space technology.
• Latvia: Latvian space activities coordinated through Ministry of Education. ESA Associate Member.
• Lithuania: Lithuanian space program. Developing nanosatellites (LitSat-1). ESA Associate Member.

Asia

China

CNSA (China National Space Administration)

• Founded: 1993
• Budget: Not officially published
• Headquarters: Beijing
• Key Programs: Chang'e lunar program (sample return achieved, including the first far-side samples), Tianwen Mars missions, international cooperation including the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). China's crewed programme (the Tiangong space station and the crewed lunar landing, officially targeted for before 2030) is run by a separate body, the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA); since May 23, 2026 crewed and robotic lunar work has been integrated into one Lunar Exploration Project. Long March rockets are built by the state contractor CASC.
• Notable: China's commercial space sector (Landspace, iSpace, Galactic Energy) is growing rapidly.

Japan

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)

• Founded: 2003 (predecessor NASDA from 1969)
• Budget: ¥154.8 billion (FY2026 initial budget, excluding the Space Strategy Fund)
• Headquarters: Chofu, Tokyo
• Key Programs: H3 launch vehicle, Hayabusa asteroid sample return missions, SLIM lunar lander, QZSS navigation, ISS contributions (Kibo module), MMX (Martian Moons eXploration)
• Notable: Japan achieved a precision lunar landing with SLIM in January 2024. JAXA is a key Artemis Accords partner.

India

ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation)

• Founded: 1969
• Budget: INR 13,705.63 crore (Department of Space, budget estimates 2026-27)
• Headquarters: Bengaluru
• Key Programs: Chandrayaan lunar missions (Chandrayaan-3 successful landing 2023), Gaganyaan crewed spacecraft, GSLV/LVM3 rockets, NavIC navigation, Mangalyaan Mars orbiter, NISAR Earth observation (with NASA)
• Notable: ISRO is renowned for cost-effective missions. India became the fourth country to achieve a soft lunar landing. IN-SPACe is promoting commercial space activities.

South Korea

KARI (Korea Aerospace Research Institute) / KASA (Korea AeroSpace Administration)

• Founded: KARI 1989, KASA May 27, 2024
• Budget: KRW 1.1201 trillion (KASA, 2026)
• Headquarters: KASA in Sacheon; KARI in Daejeon
• Key Programs: Nuri (KSLV-II) rocket, Danuri lunar orbiter, next-gen launch vehicle, reconnaissance satellites
• Notable: South Korea first reached orbit with its indigenous Nuri rocket on June 21, 2022 and established KASA as a standalone space administration in 2024.

Other Asian Agencies

• Taiwan (TASA): Taiwan Space Agency. Founded 1991. FORMOSAT Earth observation satellites, developing small launch vehicles.
• Vietnam (VNSC): Vietnam National Space Center. Founded 2011. Earth observation focus, VNREDSat satellites.
• Thailand (GISTDA): Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency. Earth observation satellites.
• Philippines (PhilSA): Philippine Space Agency. Founded 2019. Developing satellite capabilities for disaster management.
• Indonesia (BRIN/LAPAN): National Research and Innovation Agency. Launch site at Biak, satellite programs, equatorial launch advantage.
• Malaysia (MYSA): Malaysian Space Agency. Earth observation, astronaut program.
• Singapore: Space activities managed through Office for Space Technology and Industry (OSTIn). Growing small satellite ecosystem.
• Bangladesh (SPARRSO): Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization. Bangabandhu-1 communications satellite.
• Pakistan (SUPARCO): Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission. Founded 1961. Earth observation and communications satellites.
• Sri Lanka (SLSA): Sri Lanka Space Agency. Founded 2019. Early-stage space development.
• Kazakhstan (Kazcosmos): Manages the Baikonur Cosmodrome lease with Russia. Developing domestic space capabilities.
• Mongolia: Developing space activities through academic partnerships and nanosatellite programs.

Middle East

United Arab Emirates

UAE Space Agency / MBRSC (Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre)

• Founded: UAE Space Agency 2014, MBRSC 2006
• Headquarters: Abu Dhabi / Dubai
• Key Programs: Hope Mars orbiter (Al Amal), Rashid lunar rover (its 2023 landing attempt was unsuccessful; a successor is planned), MBR Explorer asteroid mission, MBZ-SAT Earth observation, Emirates Lunar Mission, astronaut program (Sultan Al Neyadi ISS mission)
• Notable: The UAE has one of the most ambitious space programs in the Middle East. The Hope probe reached Mars in 2021, making UAE the fifth entity to orbit Mars.

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Space Agency (SSA) / Saudi Space Commission (SSC)

• Founded: 2018 as the Saudi Space Commission; renamed Saudi Space Agency in 2023
• Key Programs: commercial crew missions (astronauts flew to the ISS on Axiom Space's Ax-2), Earth observation, space industry development under Vision 2030
• Notable: Part of Saudi Vision 2030 diversification. Saudi Arabia sent its first astronauts to space in 2023.

Israel

ISA (Israel Space Agency)

• Founded: 1983
• Headquarters: Tel Aviv
• Key Programs: Ofeq reconnaissance satellites, EROS Earth observation, Beresheet lunar lander (2019 attempt), Venus environmental satellite
• Notable: Israel is one of the few countries with indigenous orbital launch capability (Shavit rocket). Unique constraint: launches westward over the Mediterranean due to geography.

Other Middle Eastern Agencies

• Iran (ISA): Iranian Space Agency. Founded 2004. Safir and Simorgh launch vehicles. Has placed satellites in orbit independently.
• Turkey (TUA): Turkish Space Agency. Founded 2018. Its national space program includes lunar mission plans and indigenous satellite systems.
• Bahrain (NSSA): National Space Science Agency. Founded 2014. Focus on space science education and Earth observation.
• Qatar: Es'hailSat satellite operator. Growing interest in space activities.
• Oman: Developing space strategy through National Space Program.

Oceania

Australia

ASA (Australian Space Agency)

• Founded: 2018
• Headquarters: Adelaide
• Key Programs: Moon to Mars initiative with NASA, Equatorial Launch Australia (Arnhem Space Centre), growing commercial launch sector, space sustainability efforts
• Notable: Australia's Woomera was one of the earliest rocket launch sites. The new agency aims to triple the size of Australia's space sector by 2030.

New Zealand

NZSA (New Zealand Space Agency)

• Founded: 2016
• Headquarters: Wellington
• Key Programs: Regulatory oversight for Rocket Lab's Mahia Peninsula launch site, responsible space policy
• Notable: Rocket Lab's Electron flies from Mahia, making New Zealand a significant launch nation despite its small agency.

Africa

South Africa

SANSA (South African National Space Agency)

• Founded: 2010
• Headquarters: Pretoria
• Key Programs: Earth observation, space weather monitoring, SumbandilaSat
• Notable: South Africa has one of the most developed space programs in Africa and plays a key role in global space weather monitoring from its location in the Southern Hemisphere.

Nigeria

NASRDA (National Space Research and Development Agency)

• Founded: 1999
• Headquarters: Abuja
• Key Programs: NigeriaSat Earth observation constellation, NigComSat communications satellites, building indigenous satellite development capability

Egypt

EgSA (Egyptian Space Agency)

• Founded: 2018
• Headquarters: Cairo
• Key Programs: EgyptSat Earth observation, TIBA communications satellite, partnership with China for satellite development

Other African Agencies

• Algeria (ASAL): Algerian Space Agency. Founded 2002. Alsat Earth observation satellites. Most experienced satellite operator in North Africa.
• Morocco (CRTS): Royal Centre for Remote Sensing. Mohammed VI A/B Earth observation satellites.
• Kenya (KSA): Kenya Space Agency. Founded 2017. Leveraging equatorial location for potential launch site development.
• Ethiopia (ESSTI): Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute. Launched ETRSS-1 Earth observation satellite in 2019.
• Rwanda: Developing space capabilities. Launched first satellite (RWASAT-1) in 2019.
• Ghana (GhSA): Ghana Space Science and Technology Institute. GhanaSat-1 CubeSat launched in 2017.
• Tunisia (CNCT): National Centre for Cartography and Remote Sensing. Challenge One CubeSat program.
• Uganda: Developing space strategy through universities, first CubeSat program.
• Zimbabwe: ZimSat-1 launched in 2022, marking Zimbabwe's entry into space.
• African Union / AfSA: African Space Agency, the African Union's continental space body; its headquarters in Cairo was inaugurated on April 20, 2025.

Latin America & Caribbean

Brazil

AEB (Agencia Espacial Brasileira)

• Founded: 1994
• Headquarters: Brasilia
• Key Programs: CBERS Earth observation satellites (with China), Alcantara Launch Center (equatorial advantage), VLS rocket program, SGDC communications satellites
• Notable: Brazil's Alcantara launch site lies close to the equator, and Brazil has opened it to international launch providers.

Argentina

CONAE (Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales)

• Founded: 1991
• Headquarters: Buenos Aires
• Key Programs: SAOCOM radar satellites, SABIA-Mar ocean observation, Tronador II rocket development
• Notable: Argentina's INVAP builds satellites and has exported nuclear and space technology globally.

Other Latin American Agencies

• Chile (ACE): Chilean Space Agency. Focused on astronomy support (Atacama hosts world's best observatories) and Earth observation.
• Colombia (CCE): Colombian Space Commission. FACSAT military observation satellites.
• Peru (CONIDA): Comision Nacional de Investigacion y Desarrollo Aeroespacial. PeruSAT-1 high-resolution observation satellite.
• Bolivia (ABE): Agencia Boliviana Espacial. Founded 2010. Tupac Katari communications satellite.
• Ecuador (EXA): Ecuadorian Civilian Space Agency. NEE-01 Pegasus nanosatellite program.
• Venezuela (ABAE): Agencia Bolivariana para Actividades Espaciales. VeneSat-1 communications, VRSS Earth observation.
• Paraguay (AEP): Agencia Espacial del Paraguay. Founded 2014. Early-stage development.
• Costa Rica: Central American Aerospace Agency interest. CubeSat programs through universities.
• Guatemala: Quetzal-1 CubeSat launched in 2020, first Guatemalan satellite.

Russia & Former Soviet States

Russia

Roscosmos

• Founded: 1992 (restructured as state corporation 2015)
• Headquarters: Moscow
• Key Programs: Soyuz crewed spacecraft, ISS partnership, GLONASS navigation, Angara launch vehicle, the Luna lunar program (Luna-25 crashed on the Moon in August 2023), Baikonur and Vostochny cosmodromes
• Notable: Roscosmos inherited the Soviet space legacy. Despite budget constraints and geopolitical challenges, Russia remains a top-tier spacefaring nation with unmatched crewed spaceflight heritage.

Other Former Soviet Space Programs

• Ukraine (SSAU): State Space Agency of Ukraine. Founded 1992. Significant launch vehicle heritage (Zenit, Dnepr). Yuzhnoye Design Bureau. Operations disrupted by conflict.
• Kazakhstan (Kazcosmos): Manages Baikonur Cosmodrome. Developing KazSat communications satellites and domestic launch capabilities.
• Azerbaijan (Azercosmos): Founded 2010. Azerspace communications satellites. Growing commercial satellite operator.
• Belarus: Developing satellite capabilities with Russian cooperation. BKA Earth observation satellite.

Key Trends in Global Space Governance

Several important trends are shaping the global space agency landscape:

1. New agencies forming: many of the agencies in this directory, from the Philippines to Spain, were founded in the past decade.
2. Commercial-government convergence: Agencies worldwide are shifting from building everything in-house to purchasing commercial services, following NASA's successful Commercial Crew and Cargo model.
3. Artemis Accords expansion: 78 countries had signed the Artemis Accords as of October 2026, creating a framework for peaceful space exploration cooperation.
4. African space growth: a growing number of African nations operate or develop satellite programs, and the African Space Agency opened its Cairo headquarters in 2025.
5. Budget growth: the Space Foundation counts $141 billion of government space spending across 53 budgets in 2025, up 7.4%, with the United States accounting for 57%.

Explore detailed profiles, budget data, and mission timelines for all major space agencies on the SpaceNexus Space Agencies module, and track government spending trends with our Government Budgets dashboard.