The United States space programs include NASA for civil space, the United States Space Force for military space, and the National Reconnaissance Office for intelligence space. Commercial interests are also significant is the last decades.

Definition of space flight Space programs of the United States date to the start of the Space Age in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Programs involve both crewed systems and uncrewed satellites, probes and platforms to meet diverse program objectives.

The definition of what constitutes spaceflight varies. In the United States, professional, military, and commercial astronauts who travel above an altitude of are awarded astronaut wings. The Fédération Aéronautique Internationale defines spaceflight as any flight over . Uncrewed missions follow the same altitude thresholds.

Government-led programs The following summarizes the major space programs where the United States government plays a leadership role in managing program delivery.

Crewed government-led programs

Program Purpose Timeline Organization(s)Flights Exemplar mission(s) Refs X-15 program R&D 1957–1968 13 X-15 Flight 91 Project Mercury R&D 1958–1963 NASA 11 Mercury-Atlas 6 Project Gemini Exploration 1961–1966 NASA 19 Gemini 4 Project Apollo Exploration 1961–1972 NASA 14 Apollo 11 Manned Orbiting Laboratory Space Operations 1962–1969 US Air Force 1 Test Flight Space Shuttle program Space Transportation 1972–2011 NASA 134 Skylab program Space Operations 1973–1974 NASA 4 Skylab 2 Spacelab program Space Operations 1973–1998 16 STS-50 Apollo–Soyuz Test Project Space Operations 1975 1 APAS-75 Docking System International Space Station program Space Operations 1984–present in orbit Constellation program Exploration 2000s–2010 NASA 1 Ares I-X Journey to Mars program Exploration 2010–2017 NASA 1 Exploration Flight Test-1 Lunar Gateway program Exploration 2017–2026 0 Artemis Program Exploration 2017–present 2

Uncrewed government-led programs

Program Purpose Timeline Organization(s)Flights Exemplar mission(s) RefsViking sounding rocket R&D 1949–1957 Naval Research Laboratory 11 Viking 11 (1954)Viking Sounding Rocket NASMCorliss, William (1971) NASA Sounding Rockets NASA SP-4401 pp23, 81 Project Vanguard R&D 1956–1959 Naval Research Laboratory 3 Vanguard 1 Vanguard — A History, Chapter 1. Constance M. Green and Milton Lomask, NASA SP-4202. NASA Historical Reference Collection, NASA History Office, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. and http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/SP-4202/begin.htmlProject Farside R&D 1957 AFOSR 6 Project Farside NASM Explorers Program Exploration 1958–present 91 Pioneer program Exploration 1958–1992 8 KH-1 to KH-6 CoronaReconnaissance1959–1972 142 Discoverer 1 SamosReconnaissance1960–1962US Air Force 7 Samos 6 Perry, Robert (1973) A History of Satellite Reconnaissance: Samos NRO Television Infrared Observation Satellite Weather 1960–1968 10 TIROS-8TIROS WMOTIROS DARPA Transit Navigation 1960–1988 36 Transit 3BTransit DARPA Ranger program Exploration 1961–1965 NASA 4 Ranger 7 Strategic missile warning programsSurveillance 1960–present US Space Force 39 Orbiting Solar Observatory Heliophysics 1962–1975 NASA 8 OSO 3Orbiting Solar Observatory LASP Mariner program Exploration 1962–1973 NASA 7 Mariner 6 and 7 Centaur upper stage program Space Transportation 1962–2003 91 Environmental Research SatelliteTechnology1962–1971US Air Force 33 ERS 5 Corliss, William (1967) Scientific Satellites NASA SP-133 p714 Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Weather 1962–present 39 Lunar Orbiter program Exploration 1963–1967 NASA 5 Lunar Orbiter 3 KH-7 GambitReconnaissance1963–1967 38 Project VelaNuclear test detection 1963–1970 12 Vela DARPA Nimbus program Weather 1964–1978 NASA 6 Nimbus 1Nimbus WMO National Geodetic Satellite Program Geodesy 1964–1971 NASA 6 Application of Space Technology to Crustal Dynamics NASA Technical Paper 1464, 1979 p21 Electronic & Geodetic Ranging Satellite (EGRS) Navigation 1964–1970 5 EGRS 1Nichols, Robert (1974) Geodetic SECOR Satellite AD/A-002 625Space Experiment Support Program R&D 1965–1971 6 SOLRADStone, Irving (1970) USAF Experiments Support Air Force and Space Digest vol 53 AFA p27 Orbiting VehicleTechnology1965–1971US Air Force 37 OV1-9 Corliss, William (1967) Scientific Satellites NASA SP-133 p769-776Lincoln Experimental SatelliteCommunications 1965–1976 8 NASA Compendium of Satellite Communications Programs CSC 1975 pp169–224 Orbiting Astronomical Observatory (OAO) Astronomy 1966–1972 2 Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 3Orbiting Astronomical Observatories University of Chicago KH-8 Gambit 3Reconnaissance1966–1984 54 Applications Technology Satellites 1966–1979 NASA 6 ATS-3ATS NASA Defense Satellite Communications System Communications 1966–present US Air Force 63 DSCS-III KH-9 Hexagon Reconnaissance 1971–1984 19 Space Test Program R&D 1971–present 251 C/NOFSThe Past Present and Future of the DoD Space Test Program US Space Force Landsat program Earth Science 1972–present 9 Landsat 9 Earth and Ocean Dynamics Applications Program Geodesy 1972–1978 NASA 6 Vonbun, F. (1976) Earth and Ocean Dynamics Program GSFC X-900-76-39 p5 NAVSTAR GPSNavigation 1973–present US Air Force (1973–2019)US Space Force (2019 onward) 77GPS Block III Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) Weather 1975–present 18 Strategic planetary missions Exploration 1975–present NASA 8 HEAO ProgramAstrophysics 1977–1979 NASA 3 Einstein ObservatoryHEAO NASA Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) Weather 1978–present 16 Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) Communications 1983–present NASA 14 MilstarCommunications 1985–present US Air Force 6 UHF Follow-On programCommunications 1988–presentUS Navy 11 Medium Launch Vehicle II (MLV-II) Space Transportation 1988–2004US Air Force 14 Discovery program Exploration 1990–present NASA 12 Great Observatories program Astrophysics 1990–present NASA 4 Chandra ESA eoPortal Mars Exploration Program Exploration 1993–present NASA 8 Global Geospace Science Astrophysics 1994–1996 NASA 2 Wind ESA eoPortal Evolved Expendable Launch VehicleSpace Transportation 1998–present US Air Force 106 New Millennium Program Exploration 1996–2017 NASA 5 Chandra, A. M. and Ghosh, S. K. (2006) Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System Alpha Science International p48-51 Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) Earth Science 1996–present NASA 7 Earth System Science Pathfinder NASA Earth Observing System Earth Science 1999–present NASA 5 NASA (1999) EOS Reference Manual p15, 19, 22 Solar Terrestrial Probes program Astrophysics 2001–2003 NASA 4 Solar Terrestrial Probes program (STP) NASA New Frontiers programExploration 2003–present NASA 3 Tactical Satellite Program Technology 2003–2013 3 TacSat-2TacSat-1 eoPortal.org University Nanosatellite Program Technology 2004–present Air Force Research Laboratory 20 Cornell University SatelliteUniversity Nanosatellite Program X-37B programR&D 2006–present 6 OTV-3 Lunar Precursor Robotic ProgramAstrophysics 2006–2013 NASA 3 AEHF Satellite ProgramCommunications 2010–present US Space Force 6 AEHF-1 Living With a Star Heliophysics 2010–present NASA 4 Wideband Global Satcom ProgramCommunications 2011–present US Space Force 10 WGS-4 Earth Systematic Missions (ESM) Program Earth Science 2017–present NASA 10 Earth Systematic Missions NASA Origins Program Astrophysics 2021–present NASA 3 JWSTCosmic Origins NASAWeather System Follow-on ProgramSpace weather 2024–present US Space Force 1 WSF-M1WSF WMO

Commercial space programs The following summarizes the major space programs where private interests play the leadership role in managing program delivery.

Crewed commercial programs

Program Purpose Timeline Organization(s)Flights Exemplar mission(s) Refs Space AdventuresSpace tourism 1998–present 7 SpaceShipOne Space tourism 2003–2004 Scaled Composites 3 SpaceShipOne flight 16P SpaceShipTwo Space tourism 2010–present Virgin Galactic 10 Virgin Galactic Unity 22 Galactic 02 Blue Origin New Shepard Space tourism2015–present Blue Origin 24 Blue Origin NS-18 DearMoon lunar tourismSpace tourism 2018–2024 0 Axiom Space Space tourism 2020–present 3 Axiom Mission 1 Axiom Mission 2Polaris program Space tourism 2021–present 1 Inspiration4 Commercial Crew Program Space transportation 2011–present 7 SpaceX StarshipSpace Transportation 2012–present SpaceX 0 Orbital Reef Space Station Space Operations2021–present Blue Origin 0

Uncrewed commercial programs

Program Purpose Timeline Organization(s)Flights Exemplar mission(s) Refs Telstar Satellite communications 1962–1995 AT&T 8 Telstar 301Butrica, Andrew J. (1997) Beyond the Ionosphere: Fifty Years of Satellite Communications NASA SP-4217 Comstar Satellite communications 1963–2000 Comsat General Corporation 4 Comstar D-4COMSAT History Westar Satellite communications 1975–1988 Western Union 7 Westar 1Westar Mission and Spacecraft Library Satcom Satellite communications 1975–2001 RCA Americom 13 GE-1Conard, James W. (1988) Handbook of Communications Systems Management Auerbach p324 SBS Satellite communications 1975–1991 Satellite Business Systems 6 SBS 2 Applications Satellites House Committee on Science and Technology 1983 Galaxy Satellite communications 1983–1997 Hughes Communications 9 Galaxy 1Rees, David W. E. (1991) Satellite Communications Wiley p250-251 Commercial Launch Services (Atlas) Space TransportationAC-69/Atlas I Iridium Satellite communications 1987–present Iridium Communications 170 Iridium 77 Globalstar Satellite communications 1991–present Globalstar 84 Digital Globe Earth Imaging 1992–present Maxar Technologies 8 WorldView-1 Orbcomm Satellite data messaging 1992–present Orbcomm 62 International Launch Services (Atlas, Proton) Space transportation 1995–2006 100 Sea Launch (Zenit) Space transportation 1995–2014 36 DirecTV Satellite Television 1995–present DirecTV 19 DirecTV T10 satellite Dish Network Satellite Television 1996–present DISH Network Corporation16EchoStar X Sirius XM Radio Satellite Radio 1997–present 13Sirius FM-5 SpaceX Launch Services Space transportation 2002–present SpaceXxx Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Space transportation 2006–2013 3 United Launch Alliance Commercial Launch Services Space Transportation 2006–present xx Commercial Resupply Services Space transportation "NASA Awards Space Station Commercial Resupply Services Contracts". NASA, December 23, 2008.Planetscope satellite constellationEarth imaging 2010–present Planet Labs487List of Flock satellite types Rocket Lab (Electron)Space Transportation 2013–present Rocket Lab 41 List of Electron launches Starlink Satellite Internet Service2016–present SpaceX 5,330 Commercial Lunar Payload Services Space transportation 2018–present 3 Astrobotic Peregrine Lander

See also

Space policy of the United States List of European Space Agency programmes and missions Japanese space program

List of government space agencies List of private spaceflight companies in the United States List of rockets of the United States List of NOAA satellites List of NASA missions NASA large strategic science missions List of uncrewed NASA missions

Explanatory notes

References