2. Russia
Points – 26
The Russian Federal Space Agency is the name the former Soviet space program was given back in the 90s. The Russians have been looking into space and working on various programs to get out there since 1931 and it is currently one of the world’s most important players in the space game.
With a budget of about $4 billion per year, Russia’s Roscosmos has so far run dozens of programs, including manned missions. Russia is, in fact, one of the very few countries that has the capabilities to fly astronauts into space. Roscosmos is also involved in the International Space Stations and about half its annual budget goes to its upkeep and the various missions that run on it.
The Russian spacecrafts Soyuz are one of the few that are charged with taking the astronauts up to the International Space Station. One of these is permanently docked at the ISS so they can be used in case of emergency. Perhaps you’ve watched “Gravity” so you know what we’re talking about
Anyway, Russia’s Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova was the first woman to ever fly in space, back in 1963 when she piloted the Vostok 6 along with other astronauts, so that’s another plus for the Russians.
