The Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) is a consortium of universities and other institutions that operates astronomical observatories and telescopes. AURA recognizes its mission statement as "To promote excellence in astronomical research by providing access to state-of-the-art facilities".

Founded October 10, 1957 with the encouragement of the National Science Foundation (NSF), AURA was incorporated by a group of seven U.S. universities: California, Chicago, Harvard, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State, and Wisconsin. 

AURA began as a small organization dedicated to ground-based optical astronomy, managing a range of 1- to 4-meter telescopes and providing community advocacy for optical/infrared astronomy. Over the years, AURA expanded its focus to include Solar Astronomy and the Gemini 8-meter telescopes, going on to partner with other consortia such as WIYN (Wisconsin Indiana Yale & NOAO) and SOAR (Southern Astrophysical Research). In the 1980s, AURA took on the management of the Space Telescope Science Institute, opening up the ultraviolet, optical, and infrared wavelength bands in space with the Hubble Space Telescope. AURA is furthering its aims in infrared space astronomy through the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

The organization is responsible for the operation of several important observatories, known as "AURA centers":

• the Gemini Observatory;
• the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO);
• the National Solar Observatory (NSO);
• the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI);
• and the AURA Observatory (AURA-O).

The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) is the science operations center for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST; in orbit since 1990) and for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST; scheduled to be launched in 2018).

STScI is located on the Johns Hopkins University Homewood campus in Baltimore, Maryland and was established in 1981 as a community-based science center that is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA). In addition to performing continuing science operations of HST and preparing for scientific exploration with JWST, STScI manages and operates the Multi-mission Archive at Space Telescope (MAST), the Data Management Center for the Kepler mission and a number of other activities benefiting from its expertise in and infrastructure for supporting the operations of space-based astronomical observatories. Most of the funding for STScI activities comes from contracts with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center but there are smaller activities funded by NASA's Ames Research Center, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the European Space Agency (ESA).

The staff at STScI consists of scientists (mostly astronomers and astrophysicists), software engineers, data management and telescope operations personnel, education and public outreach experts, and administrative and business support personnel.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), previously known as Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST), is a planned space telescope optimized for observations in the infrared, and a scientific successor to the Hubble Space Telescope and the Spitzer Space Telescope. The main technical features are a large and very cold 6.5 meter diameter mirror, an observing position far from Earth, orbiting the Earth–Sun L2 point, and four specialized instruments. The combination of these features will give JWST unprecedented resolution and sensitivity from long-wavelength visible to the mid-infrared, enabling its two main scientific goals — studying the birth and evolution of galaxies, and the formation of stars and planets.

Organization: NASA, with significant contributions from ESA and CSA.

A CubeSat is a type of miniaturized satellite for space research that usually has a volume of exactly one liter (10 cm cube), has a mass of no more than 1.33 kilograms, and typically uses commercial off-the-shelf electronics components. Beginning in 1999, California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) and Stanford University developed the CubeSat specifications to help universities worldwide to perform space science and exploration.

The majority of development comes from academia, but several companies have built CubeSats, including large-satellite-maker Boeing. The CubeSat format is also popular with amateur radio satellite builders.

The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) is the main contractor for the Chinese space program.

It is state-owned and has a number of subordinate entities which design, develop and manufacture a range of spacecraft, launch vehicles, strategic and tactical missile systems, and ground equipment. It was officially established in July 1999 as part of a Chinese government reform drive, having previously been one part of the former China Aerospace Corporation. Various incarnations of the program date back to 1956.

Astro- und Feinwerktechnik Adlershof GmbH 

Raytheon Company is an American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and commercial electronics. 

Established in 1922, the company re-incorporated in 1928 and adopted its present name in 1959. The company has around 72,000 employees worldwide.

Intespace is a service and engineering company in Toulouse, France, providing a complete set of environment simulation test facilities in the domains of Space, Aeronautics and Defence.

It offers mechanical, acoustic, thermal and radio electric testing to European industrialists, allowing validation of systems and equipment prior to operational implementation.

(source: http://www.intespace.fr/english/page/home-page/1164-about-intespace.html)

Astrotech Corporation, formerly Spacehab Inc., is an aerospace company headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, which provides commercial space products and services (to NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, etc.). 

The Company changed its name to Astrotech Corporation in 2009 to align the corporate name with the company's core business offering, Astrotech Space Operation. Astrotech Space Operations provides support necessary for government and commercial customers to process their satellite hardware for launch, including planning; construction and use of unique equipment and facilities; and spacecraft checkout, encapsulation, fueling, and transport. In its 29 year history, Astrotech has supported the processing of more than 290 spacecraft.

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) is a private university located within the town of Henrietta in the Rochester, New York metropolitan area.

RIT is composed of nine academic colleges. It is widely known for its fine arts, computing, engineering, and imaging science programs.

RIT has collaborated with many industry players in the field of research as well, including IBM, Xerox, NASA, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).