Which Other Countries Besides the United States and Russia Have Space Programs and How Many Have Astronauts?

Most industrialized countries probably have some kind of space program.

This is not to say that they all put people into space.

Most concentrate on launching communications and/or surveillance satellites.

Manned space flight is becoming more and more a cooperative international effort.

For example, the Freedom space station, announced in President Ronald Reagan’s 1984 State of the Union address, involves the efforts of the United States, Japan, Canada, and the European Space Agency, whose member states include the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain.

China’s first satellite, Tungfang hung, was launched on April 24, 1970.

Details of the Chinese manned space flight program are kept secret by the Chinese government, but photographs of astronauts in training have been released.

China has also discussed possible cooperative missions with Russia and the United States.

India, Israel, and Japan all have national programs to launch and maintain satellites and to join other countries, particularly the United States, in sending their citizens into space.