Page 64 - Life beyond the Karman
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Space agencies around the world
Countries have their designated space agencies. However, not all space agencies do the same things. Each organisation has a specialisation or focus area. Space agencies around the world share a common goal: to help discover what’s going on in outer space.
Famous space agencies:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); Roscosmos (previously known as the Russia Federal Space Agency); Canadian space agency; the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA); European Space Agency (ESA); China National Space Administration (CNSA); the Australian Space Agency (ASA); the South African National Space Agency (SANSA); Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO); Kenyan Space Agency; etc.
Private space agencies or entities
In recent years, private companies have taken on a larger role in the space exploration system.
Privatised space exploration allows room for more selfless action by government space agencies and increases the volume of space exploration.
Private space companies are different from government space agencies as they experience unique sets of market pressures that influence their decision-making process. Hence, the expansion of private control in the space sector has raised ethical questions.
Private space companies work through contracts with government agencies or independently under monitoring and regulation by national and international agreements.
The dominant private space entities in the world are United Launch Alliance (ULA); SPACE X; Virgin galactic; and BLUE ORIGIN, to name but a few.
A number of institutions, academic sectors and non- governmental organisations (NGOs) are also associated with space activities, and many are involved in community development, capacity building and conducting different research on how space exploration can help us tackle challenges here on Earth.
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LIFE BEYOND THE KÁRMÁN LINE - OUTER SPACE