Today we explore the final frontier as we take a look at 7 most advanced countries in space technology.
When Russians launched Sputnik 1 in 1957, the world – and especially the Americans – was stunned. The first man-made satellite was only 23 inches in diameter and its battery lasted three weeks before it stopped all transmissions, but the impact this tiny object had on the course of human history was immeasurable. The consequences were numerous and far-reaching, but we will focus on just one. Sputnik 1 sparked another chapter of Cold War, called the Space Race.
Under the immense pressure from the public, the United States government had to dramatically increase funding for research of new technologies, space exploration, and education. The perceived lag in the technology behind the Soviet Union also led Congress and President Eisenhower to create two new agencies, ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency, renamed in 1972 to DARPA) and NASA. ARPA was responsible for researching new technologies with military application in mind and NASA was a civilian agency. The rest is history, written by pioneers like Jury Gagarin, Neil Armstrong and many others, who helped place their homelands on the list of the most advanced countries in space technology.
Andrey Armyagov/Shutterstock.com
The culmination of human space exploration is embodied today in the International Space Station, the most expensive object ever made by man. The estimated cost of the ISS is $150 billion and it is funded by 5 space agencies from US, Russia, Japan, European Union and Canada. NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, and CSA have been maintaining ISS and supplying crews and supplies for the last 15 years, setting the record for the longest continuous human presence in space. Not surprisingly, 4 of these 5 countries are also on the list of the most advanced countries in medicine, as a good chunk of research conducted onboard ISS is related to medicine.
In recent past, several nations have joined the efforts in exploring space, namely China and India. Both countries have promising space programs that receive a lot of attention from the public and are funded by their governments.
Before we go to the list of most advanced countries in space technology, a small disclaimer is due. The majority of European space research is performed by ESA, European Space Agency. It is a joint effort of 22 member states, providing them with the opportunity to take part in the exploration of space. ESA’s budget ($5.5 billion) would place it very high on our list, but since it isn’t representing a single country, we decided to omit it. Some other European countries have made it to the list, though. Let’s see who they are.
7. China
Agency: China National Space Administration
Budget: $1.3 billion
Founded in 1993, CNSA has been responsible for the implementation of Chinese space program ever since. They currently maintain Tiangong-1, first Chinese space station, scheduled to be replaced by bigger and more functional Tiangong-2 and Tiangong-3 models. CNSA also has a lunar rover on the surface of the Moon and although it is experiencing difficulties, it is still sending valuable data.
6. India
Agency: Indian Space Research Organization
Budget: $1.3 billion
Although ISRO was established in 1969, it wasn’t until 70s that India began making some inroads in space technology. Today, they are operating a Mars orbiter mission and have a fledgling commercial satellites launching program.
5. Germany
Agency: German Aerospace Center
Budget: $2 billion
About third of GAC’s budget goes to funding ESA programs, but Germany also has its own independent research projects, mainly concerning energy and transportation.
4. Japan
Agency: Japan Aerospace exploration Agency (JAXA)
Budget: $2.5 billion
The youngest agency on our list, JAXA was founded in 2003, in an effort to streamline Japan’s space program by merging three different government agencies into one. JAXA is a founding member of ISS and has provided the largest module for the space station, Kibō.
3. France
Agency: National Centre for Space Studies (CNES)
Budget: $2.8 billion
France was the third nation in history to achieve a successful space launch. Its experience was later used to develop Ariane rocket family with ESA. Their space center in French Guiana is also used for ESA launching. It is also the only agency in the world that has (or has admitted to) having UFO investigators on its payroll.
2. Russia
Agency: Russian Federal Space Agency (Roskosmos)
Budget: $5.6 billion
Although some would say that the glory days of Jury Gagarin are long gone, Russian space program is still going strong, despite all the troubles the country had since the breakup of the Soviet Union. Plans for reorganization are under way, in what is the largest space program in the world in terms of employment, with 250,000 people involved in it.
1. United States
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Budget: $18 billion
Ever since Neil Armstrong set foot upon the Moon, NASA has been the leading space agency in the world. Even though its funding has shrank to just 0.50% of federal budget from its heyday in the 60s when it was 4.41%, various private investment in space exploration like Space Exploration Technologies Corporation or SpaceX more than supplant US space program, helping make America the most advanced country in space technology.
