The document is a non-binding, voluntary agreement by which these fourteen space agencies from around the world can exchange information. One aspect of such cooperation that may be useful in the future is the avoidance of any overlapping programs between two or more agencies.

In addition, these beginning steps provide a comprehensive framework to develop a global approach to space exploration.

The fourteen space agencies (and their websites) involved in these discussions are:

Australia (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO): http://www.csiro.au/),

Canada (Canadian Space Agency (CSA): http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/index.html),

China (China National Space Administration (CNSA): http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/n615709/cindex.html),

the European Space Agency (ESA: http://www.esa.int/esaCP/index.html),

France (Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES): http://www.cnes.fr/web/455-cnes-en.php),

Germany (German Aerospace Center (DLR): http://www.dlr.de/),

Great Britain (British National Space Center (BNSC): http://www.bnsc.gov.uk/home.aspx?nid=3191),

India (Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO): http://www.isro.org/),

Italy (Italian Space Agency (ISA): http://www.asi.it/),

Japan (Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA): http://www.jaxa.jp/index_e.html),

Russia (Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA, Roskosmos): http://www.federalspace.ru/index.asp?Lang=ENG),

the Republic of Korea (Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI): http://www.kari.re.kr/english/),

the Ukraine (National Space Agency of Ukraine (NSAU): http://www.nkau.gov.ua/NSAU/nkau.nsf/indexE?openform), and

the United States (NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/).

Please go to the NASA website “NASA, 13 Space Agencies Release Exploration Strategy Framework” to read the document.

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