space agency
/ˈspeɪs ˈeɪdʒənsi/ · space·a·gen·cy
noun
- A governmental organization tasked with planning, funding, and executing a nation's space exploration, research, and related technological activities. NASA is the United States' space agency responsible for sending astronauts to the International Space Station.
- Any organized body, public or private, that coordinates, manages, or conducts space‑related missions and projects. SpaceX, though a private company, functions as a space agency for commercial satellite launches.
Synonyms
Did you know? The term “space agency” entered popular usage after the 1957 launch of Sputnik, when the Soviet Union created the world’s first such body, later known as the Soviet space program.