Space Programs

key activities, programs, and milestones:  first remote sensing (RS) satellite (Alsat-1A) built jointly with the UK and launched on a Russian rocket, 2002; announced a national space program, 2006; first Algerian designed and built RS satellites (Alsat-2A and 2B) launched by India, 2010 and 2016; first communications satellite (Alcomsat-1) built jointly with and launched by China, 2017; announced a 2040 national space plan, 2017

government spending: NA

key activities, programs, and milestones:  Angola satellite ground control mission center announced operational, 2016; announced a national space strategy, 2017; first communications satellite (AngoSat-1) built, launched, and operated by Russia, 2017 (satellite failed in 2018); took the lead in the development of a Southern Africa Development Community satellite data sharing program, 2020-present; second communications satellite (AngoSat-2) with French-built payload and integrated and launched by Russia, 2022; signed US-led Artemis Accords, 2023; hosted Africa in space conference, 2024

government spending: estimated $20-30 million (2023)

key activities, programs, and milestones:  first rocket (Alfa Centauro) launched, 1961; first country in Latin America to send an animal into space, 1967; continued developing multi-stage sounding (research) rockets for military purposes until program cancelled in 1991; initiated a satellite communications network with acquisition of Canadian satellite, 1993; first domestically built communications satellite (Nahuel-1A) launched on European satellite/space launch vehicle (SLV), 1997; conducted a sub-orbital test rocket for domestic SLV (Tronador) project, 2007 (additional test launches of experimental vehicles, known as VEx, for the Tronador project conducted in 2014 and 2018); first domestically built synthetic aperture radar remote sensing (RS) satellite (SAOCOM 1A) launched on a US SLV, 2018; worked with Mexico to create the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency (ALCE), 2020-2021 (officially established July 2021); signed US-led Artemis Accords outlining best practices for space exploration, 2023; as of 2024, continued developing two-stage Tronador SLV, which is intended to carry satellites of up to 500 kgs (1,100 lbs) in weight to a distance of up to 600 kms (373 miles) above the Earth's surface

government spending: has an estimated $450 million invested in the Tronador SLV program through 2030

key activities, programs, and milestones:  sounding (research) rocket program, 1958-1975; built first space tracking station outside the US, 1960; founding member of INTELSAT, the world’s first global satellite communications network, 1964; first domestically built satellite (WRSEA) launched on a US rocket from a test range in South Australia, 1967; commissioned first national satellite system, 1981; Australian-made telescope used on US Space Shuttle mission, 1992; first Australian in space on US Space Shuttle, 1996; released a national policy for space industry, 2013; announced a $150 million initiative to support Australian businesses and researchers participating in US NASA’s Artemis Lunar project, 2019; began construction of Square Kilometer Array radio telescope observatory (world’s largest radio telescope) and announced intentions to provide a robotic Lunar lander for US Artemis project, 2021; launched a US NASA rocket from a newly-built commercial launch site, 2022; joint Australia-US space surveillance telescope based in Western Australia became operational, 2022; agreed to allow US rockets to launch from Australian space ports, 2023 

government spending: approximately $35 million (2023-24)

key activities, programs, and milestones: became an associate member of the European Space Agency (ESA) in 1981 and a full member in 1987; contributed to the Spacelab-1 manned space laboratory, 1983-1998; collaborated with the Soviet Union in the 1980s, culminating with an Austrian going to space on a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft to the Mir Space Station, 1991; established a national space program, 2002; first domestically built science/technology (star observation) satellites (TUGSAT-1 and UniBRITE) launched by India, 2013; produced additional science/technology satellites, 2017 and 2019; worked with China to produce world’s first quantum-encrypted satellite communications teleconference from Beijing to Vienna, 2017; participates in several ESA-EU space programs, including Horizon 2020 research and innovation program (2014-2020), Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) program (2014-present), Copernicus Earth observation program (2014-present), Galileo global navigation satellite system (2016-present); in 2021, released Austrian Space Strategy 2030+

government spending: approximately $100 million; contributed over $70 million to the ESA budget in 2023

key activities, programs, and milestones: prior to 1991, provided support to the Soviet space program; presidential decree to establish a space industry, 2008; first communications satellite (Azerspace-1), built by US company and launched on European rocket, 2013; took operational control over remote sensing (RS) satellite (SPOT-7, now Azersky) from a French company, 2014; second communications satellite (Azerspace-2) built by US company and launched on European rocket, 2017; in 2022, signed a memorandum of understanding with a Western commercial company to establish a regional hub for space exploration in Azerbaijan; in 2023, agreed to participate in China's International Lunar Research Station Cooperation project, which aims to establish a Lunar base in the 2030s; also in 2023, acquired two multi-spectral RS satellites from Israel (Azersky-2 program) for scheduled launches in 2026 and 2028 

government spending: not available

key activities, programs, and milestones: in 2019-2020, began the process for acquiring its first satellite and building a ground satellite tracking station; first scientific nanosatellite (Light-1 CubeSat) built with assistance from the UAE and launched by Japan (released from the International Space Station), 2022; joined US-led Artemis Accords for space exploration, 2022; in 2022, announced national project to build first entirely domestically produced satellite 

government spending: not available

key activities, programs, and milestones: first educational/scientific nanosatellite (BRAC-Onnesha) acquired from Japan and launched on US commercial rocket, 2017; first communications satellite (Bangabandhu-1), built by a French company and launched on a US commercial rocket, 2018; in 2023, signed letter of intent with European company to cooperate on acquiring a remote sensing satellite (Bangabandhu-2) after a similar 2021 deal with Russia fell through

government spending: not available

key activities, programs, and milestones: joined European Southern Observatory, 1967; joined the European Space Agency (ESA), 1975; joined first European Earth Observation program (SPOT; launched by France), 1986; founding member of European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), 1986; first Belgian astronaut in space on the US Space Shuttle, 1992; first remote sensing satellite (PROBA-1) launched on an Indian rocket, 2001; passed Belgian Space Law, 2005 (revised 2013); participates in multiple ESA-EU space efforts, including Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) program (2014-present), Copernicus Earth observation program (2014-present), Galileo global navigation satellite system (2016-present), EU government satellite communications (GovSatCom) program (2021-present), two meteorological satellite programs (first launches in 2021), and ESA-US James Webb Space Telescope (launched 2021); signed US-led Artemis Accords outlining best practices for responsible behavior in space exploration, 2024 

government spending: contributed approximately $290 million to ESA in 2023

key activities, programs, and milestones: first communications satellite (Túpac Katari, TKSAT-1), built and launched by China, 2013; in 2016, began independently operating the TKSAT-1 satellite and announced plans to acquire a second communications satellite by 2025; signed protocols for establishment of the Latin American and Caribbean Space Agency, 2021

government spending: estimated $25-30 million (2020)

key activities, programs, and milestones: began developing a national space program under the Air Force, early 1960s; began launching sounding rockets (Sonda) as research and development for space/satellite launch vehicle (SLV) orbital rocket, mid-1960s; began SLV (Veículo Lançador de Satélites or VLS-1) program, 1984; first communications satellite jointly produced with Canada and launched on European SLV, 1985; first domestically built experimental communications satellite (Satélite de Coleta de Dados, SCD-1), launched on a US rocket, 1993; approved a national space program, 1996; attempted first launch of a multi-stage VLS-1, 1997; in 2004, launched a sounding rocket into sub-orbital space, but the subsequent catastrophic failure of a VLS-1 during a test launch led to a scaling back of the program; first Brazilian astronaut (trained in US and Russia) to the International Space Station on a Russian rocket, 2006; began work on a 3-stage microsatellite launch vehicle (Veículo Lançador de Microssatélite or VLM-1), 2008; signed a technological safeguards agreement with the US in 2019 that allowed for the launch of rockets containing US technology from Brazilian launch sites; first independently designed, built, and operated remote sensing (RS) satellite (Amazonia-1) launched by India, 2021; signed US-led Artemis Accords on space exploration cooperation and signed cooperation agreements with the space agencies of China, India, Russia, and South Africa (BRICS) for the joint development of an RS satellite constellation, 2021; successfully launched VSB-30 suborbital rocket more than 225kms (140 miles), 2022; continued developing VLM launch vehicle, 2024 (expected test launch in 2025)

government spending: estimated $50 million for the AEB (2020)

key activities, programs, and milestones: cooperated with the Soviet Union, 1960s-1990s, including the Interkosmos program designed to help the USSR’s allies with crewed and uncrewed space missions; sent its first scientific instrument (Pribor-1) into space on a Soviet rocket, 1972; first Bulgarian in space on Soviet Soyuz rocket, 1979; first domestically produced scientific satellite launched on Soviet rocket, 1981; participated in the Soviet VEGA project, a deep-space mission to study Venus and Halley’s Comet, 1985; second Bulgarian in space on Soviet Mir space station, 1988; developed a plant growth system/green house (SVET) for the Mir space station, 1990 (operated until 2001); provided scientific instruments for an Indian Moon mission (2008), Russian research mission (2013), European Space Agency-Russian Mars orbiter (2016), International Space Station (2022); first communications satellite (BulgariaSat-1) built and launched by US commercial companies, 2017; first domestically built data/educational cube satellite (EnduroSat-1) launched on a US commercial rocket, 2019; provided scientific instruments (Liulin-ML and Liulin-MO) for two Mars missions, 2023; signed the US-led Artemis Accords outlining principles for cooperation in space exploration, 2023

government spending: not available