Country dossier · USA

United States

Leading space power

A sourced snapshot of United States's posture in space — capability, institutions, orbital assets, law and people. Every figure carries its primary source; gaps are shown honestly, never filled with invented data.

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Capability tier

Leading space power

Launches to orbit from its own territory: yesLaunch sites on record: 11Nationals who have flown: 189

Source: ALL IN SPACE capability ladder · see methodology

Space agency

NASA

National space agency · established 1958 · two-source verified

Source: UNOOSA · Worldwide Space Agencies directory

Satellites (owner state)

12,826

Counted from the GCAT May 2026 snapshot. The interactive workspace shows a live CelesTrak figure, which uses different owner-attribution rules and will differ.

Source: GCAT · General Catalog of Artificial Space Objects (J. McDowell) · May 2026 snapshot

Ground stations

92

Source: ALL IN SPACE curated ground-station dataset (operator-sourced)

Space budget

$77B

Leading spender · 2026 · NASA, Space Force, NRO

Source: Space Foundation · The Space Report

National strategy

Executive Order: Ensuring American Space Superiority (2025)

Integrated civil, commercial and national-security framework with Artemis as cornerstone of human exploration

Source: Published national space strategies and policies

International space law

InstrumentStatus
Outer Space Treaty 1967Ratified
Rescue Agreement 1968Ratified
Liability Convention 1972Ratified
Registration Convention 1975Ratified
Moon Agreement 1979Not a party
Artemis Accords 2020Signatory (2020-10-13)

Source: Status of international agreements relating to activities in outer space (1 January 2026)

Launch sites

  • Cape Canaveral Space Force StationUS Space Force / Space Launch Delta 45 · Cape Canaveral, Florida · orbital · since 1957
  • Kennedy Space CenterNASA · Merritt Island, Florida · orbital · since 1967
  • Vandenberg Space Force BaseUS Space Force / Space Launch Delta 30 · Lompoc, California · orbital · since 1959
  • Wallops Flight Facility / Mid-Atlantic Regional SpaceportNASA / Virginia Space · Wallops Island, Virginia · orbital · since 1945
  • Pacific Spaceport Complex Alaska (Kodiak)Alaska Aerospace Corporation · Kodiak Island, Alaska · orbital · since 1998
  • Starbase (Boca Chica)SpaceX · Boca Chica, Texas · orbital · since 2023
  • Spaceport AmericaNew Mexico Spaceport Authority · Truth or Consequences, New Mexico · suborbital · since 2006
  • Mojave Air and Space PortEast Kern Airport District · Mojave, California · suborbital · since 2004
  • Cecil SpaceportJacksonville Aviation Authority · Jacksonville, Florida · suborbital · since 2010
  • Sea Launch (Odyssey platform)Originally Boeing/RSC Energia consortium; sea-based mobile platform · Laid up at Slavyanka, Russian Far East (formerly Long Beach, California) · retired · since 1999
  • White Sands Missile RangeUS Army / NASA · Las Cruces, New Mexico · suborbital · since 1945

Source: National launch site roster · ALL IN SPACE compilation

Astronauts

  • Alan ShepardNASA · first flight 1961 · First American in space; walked on the Moon
  • Gus GrissomNASA · first flight 1961 · Died in Apollo 1 fire
  • John GlennNASA · first flight 1962 · First American to orbit Earth; oldest in space at the time (77)
  • Scott CarpenterNASA · first flight 1962
  • Wally SchirraNASA · first flight 1962
  • Gordon CooperNASA · first flight 1963
  • John YoungNASA · first flight 1965 · Walked on the Moon; commanded first Shuttle flight
  • Jim McDivittNASA · first flight 1965
  • Ed WhiteNASA · first flight 1965 · First American spacewalk; died Apollo 1 fire
  • Pete ConradNASA · first flight 1965 · Walked on the Moon
  • Frank BormanNASA · first flight 1965
  • Jim LovellNASA · first flight 1965
  • Tom StaffordNASA · first flight 1965
  • Neil ArmstrongNASA · first flight 1966 · First human to walk on the Moon
  • David ScottNASA · first flight 1966 · Walked on the Moon
  • Eugene CernanNASA · first flight 1966 · Last human to walk on the Moon
  • Michael CollinsNASA · first flight 1966
  • Richard GordonNASA · first flight 1966
  • Buzz AldrinNASA · first flight 1966 · Second human to walk on the Moon
  • Walter CunninghamNASA · first flight 1968
  • Donn EiseleNASA · first flight 1968
  • William AndersNASA · first flight 1968
  • Rusty SchweickartNASA · first flight 1969
  • Alan BeanNASA · first flight 1969 · Walked on the Moon
  • Fred HaiseNASA · first flight 1970
  • Jack SwigertNASA · first flight 1970
  • Stuart RoosaNASA · first flight 1971
  • Edgar MitchellNASA · first flight 1971 · Walked on the Moon
  • Alfred WordenNASA · first flight 1971
  • James IrwinNASA · first flight 1971 · Walked on the Moon
  • Ken MattinglyNASA · first flight 1972
  • Charlie DukeNASA · first flight 1972 · Walked on the Moon
  • Ronald EvansNASA · first flight 1972
  • Harrison SchmittNASA · first flight 1972 · Walked on the Moon; first scientist-astronaut on lunar surface
  • Joseph KerwinNASA · first flight 1973
  • Paul WeitzNASA · first flight 1973
  • Owen GarriottNASA · first flight 1973
  • Jack LousmaNASA · first flight 1973
  • Gerald CarrNASA · first flight 1973
  • Edward GibsonNASA · first flight 1973
  • William PogueNASA · first flight 1973
  • Vance BrandNASA · first flight 1975
  • Donald SlaytonNASA · first flight 1975
  • Robert CrippenNASA · first flight 1981
  • Joe EngleNASA · first flight 1981
  • Richard TrulyNASA · first flight 1981
  • Gordon FullertonNASA · first flight 1982
  • Henry HartsfieldNASA · first flight 1982
  • Robert OvermyerNASA · first flight 1982
  • Joseph AllenNASA · first flight 1982
  • William LenoirNASA · first flight 1982
  • Karol BobkoNASA · first flight 1983
  • Donald PetersonNASA · first flight 1983
  • Story MusgraveNASA · first flight 1983
  • Sally RideNASA · first flight 1983 · First American woman in space
  • Frederick HauckNASA · first flight 1983
  • John FabianNASA · first flight 1983
  • Norman ThagardNASA · first flight 1983
  • Daniel BrandensteinNASA · first flight 1983
  • Dale GardnerNASA · first flight 1983
  • Guion BlufordNASA · first flight 1983 · First African-American in space
  • William ThorntonNASA · first flight 1983
  • Brewster ShawNASA · first flight 1983
  • Robert ParkerNASA · first flight 1983
  • Byron LichtenbergNASA · first flight 1983 · Payload specialist
  • Robert GibsonNASA · first flight 1984
  • Bruce McCandless IINASA · first flight 1984 · First untethered spacewalk (MMU)
  • Robert StewartNASA · first flight 1984
  • Ronald McNairNASA · first flight 1984 · Died in Challenger disaster
  • Francis ScobeeNASA · first flight 1984 · Died in Challenger disaster
  • Terry HartNASA · first flight 1984
  • James van HoftenNASA · first flight 1984
  • George NelsonNASA · first flight 1984
  • Michael MullaneNASA · first flight 1984
  • Steven HawleyNASA · first flight 1984
  • Judith ResnikNASA · first flight 1984 · Died in Challenger disaster
  • Charles WalkerNASA · first flight 1984 · Payload specialist (McDonnell Douglas)
  • Michael CoatsNASA · first flight 1984
  • Jon McBrideNASA · first flight 1984
  • David LeestmaNASA · first flight 1984
  • Kathryn SullivanNASA · first flight 1984 · First American woman to spacewalk
  • Anna FisherNASA · first flight 1984
  • David WalkerNASA · first flight 1984
  • Loren ShriverNASA · first flight 1985
  • Ellison OnizukaNASA · first flight 1985 · First Asian-American in space; died in Challenger disaster
  • Gary PaytonNASA · first flight 1985 · USAF payload specialist
  • Don WilliamsNASA · first flight 1985
  • Jeffrey HoffmanNASA · first flight 1985
  • S. David GriggsNASA · first flight 1985
  • Rhea SeddonNASA · first flight 1985
  • Jake GarnNASA · first flight 1985 · U.S. Senator (Utah); first sitting politician in space
  • Frederick D. GregoryNASA · first flight 1985 · First African-American Shuttle commander
  • Don LindNASA · first flight 1985
  • Taylor WangNASA · first flight 1985 · First China-born person in space (payload specialist, U.S. citizen)
  • Lodewijk van den BergNASA · first flight 1985 · Payload specialist; Netherlands-born U.S. citizen
  • John CreightonNASA · first flight 1985
  • Shannon LucidNASA · first flight 1985
  • Steven NagelNASA · first flight 1985
  • Roy BridgesNASA · first flight 1985
  • Anthony EnglandNASA · first flight 1985
  • Karl HenizeNASA · first flight 1985
  • John-David BartoeNASA · first flight 1985
  • Loren ActonNASA · first flight 1985
  • Richard CoveyNASA · first flight 1985
  • William FisherNASA · first flight 1985
  • John LoungeNASA · first flight 1985
  • James BuchliNASA · first flight 1985
  • Bonnie DunbarNASA · first flight 1985
  • Bryan O'ConnorNASA · first flight 1985
  • Mary CleaveNASA · first flight 1985
  • Jerry RossNASA · first flight 1985 · 7 flights — joint record
  • Sherwood SpringNASA · first flight 1985
  • Robert CenkerNASA · first flight 1986 · Payload specialist (RCA)
  • Bill NelsonNASA · first flight 1986 · U.S. Senator; later NASA Administrator
  • Franklin Chang-DiazNASA · first flight 1986 · First Hispanic-American astronaut; born Costa Rica
  • Charles BoldenNASA · first flight 1986 · Later NASA Administrator 2009-2017
  • Michael J. SmithNASA · first flight 1986 · Died in Challenger disaster
  • Christa McAuliffeNASA · first flight 1986 · Teacher in Space; died in Challenger disaster
  • Gregory JarvisNASA · first flight 1986 · Died in Challenger disaster
  • John BlahaNASA · first flight 1989
  • James BagianNASA · first flight 1989
  • Robert SpringerNASA · first flight 1989
  • Mark LeeNASA · first flight 1989
  • Kathryn ThorntonNASA · first flight 1989
  • David HilmersNASA · first flight 1985
  • Mark BrownNASA · first flight 1989
  • John CasperNASA · first flight 1990
  • Pierre ThuotNASA · first flight 1990
  • Linda GodwinNASA · first flight 1991
  • Tamara JerniganNASA · first flight 1991
  • F. Drew GaffneyNASA · first flight 1991
  • Millie Hughes-FulfordNASA · first flight 1991
  • Charles Lacy VeachNASA · first flight 1991
  • Donald McMonagleNASA · first flight 1991
  • Gregory HarbaughNASA · first flight 1991
  • Kenneth CameronNASA · first flight 1991
  • Jay AptNASA · first flight 1991
  • Susan HelmsNASA · first flight 1993 · First U.S. military woman in space
  • Mae JemisonNASA · first flight 1992 · First African-American woman in space
  • Michael FoaleNASA · first flight 1992 · U.S./UK dual citizen
  • Curtis BrownNASA · first flight 1992
  • Eileen CollinsNASA · first flight 1995 · First female Shuttle pilot and commander
  • Michael Lopez-AlegriaNASA / Axiom · first flight 1995 · Commanded first private mission Ax-1 (2022)
  • Steven LindseyNASA · first flight 1997
  • Robert CurbeamNASA · first flight 1997
  • Scott KellyNASA · first flight 1999 · One-year mission veteran
  • Mark PolanskyNASA · first flight 2001
  • Mark KellyNASA · first flight 2001 · U.S. Senator (Arizona); twin of Scott Kelly
  • Peggy WhitsonNASA / Axiom · first flight 2002 · First female ISS commander; most spaceflight days by a NASA astronaut
  • Don PettitNASA · first flight 2002
  • Mike FinckeNASA · first flight 2004
  • Sunita WilliamsNASA · first flight 2006 · Indian-American; commanded ISS
  • Stephen BowenNASA · first flight 2008
  • Shane KimbroughNASA · first flight 2008
  • Tom MarshburnNASA · first flight 2009
  • Michael BarrattNASA · first flight 2009
  • Megan McArthurNASA · first flight 2009
  • Butch WilmoreNASA · first flight 2009
  • Shannon WalkerNASA · first flight 2010
  • Michael HopkinsNASA · first flight 2013
  • Reid WisemanNASA · first flight 2014 · Artemis II commander
  • Kjell LindgrenNASA · first flight 2015
  • Kate RubinsNASA · first flight 2016 · First to sequence DNA in space
  • Anne McClainNASA · first flight 2018
  • Nick HagueNASA · first flight 2018
  • Jessica MeirNASA · first flight 2019 · First all-female spacewalk with Christina Koch (2019)
  • Christina KochNASA · first flight 2019 · Longest single spaceflight by a woman (328 days); Artemis II crew
  • Andrew MorganNASA · first flight 2019
  • Victor GloverNASA · first flight 2020 · First African-American long-duration ISS crew; Artemis II crew
  • Ivan VagnerRoscosmos · first flight 2020 · Listed under RUS
  • Raja ChariNASA · first flight 2021 · Artemis astronaut
  • Robert HinesNASA · first flight 2022
  • Jessica WatkinsNASA · first flight 2022 · First African-American woman on long-duration ISS mission
  • Nicole MannNASA · first flight 2022 · First Native American woman in space
  • Josh CassadaNASA · first flight 2022
  • Warren HoburgNASA · first flight 2023
  • Jasmin MoghbeliNASA · first flight 2023 · Iranian-American
  • Loral O'HaraNASA · first flight 2023
  • Matthew DominickNASA · first flight 2024
  • Jeanette EppsNASA · first flight 2024
  • Nichole AyersNASA · first flight 2025
  • Zena CardmanNASA · first flight 2025
  • Anil MenonNASA · first flight 2026 · Selected 2021; Indian-American; assigned to ISS 2026
  • Marcos BerriosNASA · first flight 2021 · Selected 2021 (NASA Group 23); not yet flown
  • Christopher WilliamsNASA · first flight 2021 · Selected 2021 (NASA Group 23); not yet flown
  • Jessica WittnerNASA · first flight 2021 · Selected 2021 (NASA Group 23); not yet flown
  • Andre DouglasNASA · first flight 2021 · Selected 2021 (NASA Group 23); not yet flown
  • Deniz BurnhamNASA · first flight 2021 · Selected 2021 (NASA Group 23); not yet flown
  • Luke DelaneyNASA · first flight 2021 · Selected 2021 (NASA Group 23); not yet flown

Source: Astronaut biographies

Milestones

  • 1945First orbital launch from national soil
  • 1958NASA established
  • 1961First national in space

Notable missions and contributions

  • Apollo (crewed lunar landing)
  • Hubble Space Telescope
  • Mars rovers (Curiosity, Perseverance)
  • ISS partnership
  • Artemis program (crewed lunar return) — Artemis II, the first crewed lunar flyby in over 50 years, launched 1 April 2026 on the SLS rocket with the Orion spacecraft (crew Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA's Jeremy Hansen), completing a roughly 10-day mission with splashdown on 10 April 2026
  • SpaceX Starship Human Landing System (HLS) — selected by NASA under a $2.89 billion NextSTEP-2 contract as the lunar lander to carry the next American astronauts to the Moon's surface for Artemis III