2. Microgravity: an established, open community

For a decade now, leaders the world over seem to have wanted to revive the space race. Every year, more and more countries are launching their own space agencies to get involved in a growing space economy. Thirteen countries have created space agencies, the majority over the past five years. Those agencies – sometimes from unexpected countries – play an important role in the partnership with the commercial sector, and they can move into the lucrative niches that the long-established space agencies have under-exploited. Here is a list of space agencies created over last decade:

• Bolivian Space Agency (ABE), 2010;

• Mexican Space Agency (AEM), 2010;

• South African National Space Agency (SANSA), 2010;

• Turkmenistan National Space Agency (TNSA), 2011;...