The mission, known as the Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk, or GOLD, involves imaging Earth's upper atmosphere from a geostationary orbit some 22,000 miles above the planet.

The mission is expected to have a direct impact on the understanding of space weather like geomagnetic storms that alter the temperature and composition of Earth's atmosphere, which can disrupt communication and navigation satellites, affecting everything from automobile GPS and cell phone coverage to television programming.

The GOLD mission is part of NASA's new Heliospheric Explorer Program designed to provide space observations to study Earth's ionosphere and thermosphere. The mission is slated for launch in 2017. 

The Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) is an instrument onboard the ICESat satellite.

This instrument will determine the distance from the satellite to the Earth's surface and to intervening clouds and aerosols. It will do this by precisely measuring the time it takes for a short pulse of laser light to travel to the reflecting object and return to the satellite. Although surveyors routinely use laser methods, the challenge for ICESat is to perform the measurement 40 times a second from a platform moving 26,000 km (16,000 mi) per hour. In addition, ICESat will be 600 km above the Earth and the precise locations of the satellite in space and the laser beam on the surface below must be determined at the same time.

The Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) is the launch centre for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

It is located in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, 80 km north of Chennai. Originally called Sriharikota High Altitude Range (SHAR, an acronym ISRO have retained to the present day) and then Sriharikota Launching Range, the centre was renamed in 2002 after the death of ISRO's former chairman Satish Dhawan.

The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) is a worldwide space advocacy body with 246 members, including all key space agencies, companies, societies, associations and institutes across 62 countries.

Over 40 administrative and technical committees support the Federation in its mission to advance knowledge about space and to foster the development of space assets by facilitating global cooperation.

At its annual International Astronautical Congress (IAC) and other thematic conferences, the IAF brings its multidisciplinary and international network to life.

The IAF was created in 1951 to foster the dialogue between scientists around the world and support international cooperation in all space-related activities, 

Astrogenetix Inc was formed to commercialize biotechnology products processed in the unique environment of microgravity.

Astrogenetix is a subsidiary of Astrotech Corporation.

Through expertise gained by sending NASA science experiments into space, Astrogenetix is well positioned to help commercialize products derived from microgravity discoveries. Astrogenetix is a commercial biotechnology company using the unique environment of microgravity to develop novel therapeutic products, Astrogenetix is working on saving lives on Earth by developing products in space.

Astrogenetix offers as well a turn-key platform for pre-flight sample preparation, flight hardware, mission planning and operations, crew training and certification processes needed within the highly regulated and complex environment of manned space flight. Astrogenetix is one of the  commercial entities to hold a Space Act Agreement with NASA for use of the International Space Station (ISS), a designated U.S. National Laboratory, for research, development and industrial processing purposes. This agreement, along with Astrogenetix relationship with various universities and government agencies and departments, gives Astrogenetix  the ability to process valuable products in space to be commercialized on Earth.

Astrotech Space Operations Inc. (ASO) is a global satellite processing organisation. ASO is a subsidiary of Astrotech Corporation.

ASO is a commercial supplier of satellite launch processing services in the U.S.A. With over 300 successful spacecraft missions to date, Astrotech continues to provide adaptable and flexible services for its government and commercial customers.

ASO owns and operates payload processing facilities in both Florida and California. ASO launch facilities provide processing areas for a wide range of spacecraft including complex communications, Earth observation, and deep space satellites. Astrotech's facilities can accommodate 5-meter class spacecraft weighing up to 5,000 kilograms.

ASO provides all support necessary for spacecraft processing to prepare for launch on a variety of domestic and foreign launch vehicles. Spacecraft undergo pre-launch hardware integration and testing, satellite encapsulation, and fueling before transport to the pad.

QinetiQ Space is a space system integrator.

QinetiQ Space has developed instruments and facilities for scientific research in a microgravity environment, such as material and fluid science research, on both manned and unmanned missions. A lot of these facilities are used on a daily basis by the astronauts in the International Space Station.

QinetiQ Space offers space mechanisms for docking; separation and one-shot opening mechanisms. We have delivered numerous instruments for scientific research for both manned and unmanned missions. Many of these facilities are used on a daily basis by astronauts on the ISS.

In the mid of the nineties QinetiQ Space took the initiative to deploy small satellite activities in Belgium. After the successful launch and demonstration of the PROBA1 satellite QinetiQ Space proved the potential of small satellites for remote sensing applications such as earth observation, environmental monitoring, security and others. Since then QinetiQ Space has established its role as the principal provider of LightSats to the European Space Agency (ESA) by taking up the prime contractor ship for PROBA2 (solar science) and PROBA-V (vegetation) and a key role in the formation flying mission PROBA3.

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is a combat support agency of the United States Department of Defense.

NGA provides timely, relevant, and accurate geospatial intelligence in support of USA national security.

Its primary mission is collecting, analyzing, and distributing geospatial intelligence (GEOINT) in support of national security. NGA was formerly known as the National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA). In addition, NGA is a key component of the United States Intelligence Community.

The NGA Commercial Archive Data

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), in partnership with the Civil Applications Committee (CAC), of which NASA is a member, provides access to its immense archive of unclassified commercial high-resolution satellite data to non-DOD government agencies under terms of its NextView contract. See this website.

The International Space Company Kosmotras or ISC Kosmotras is a joint project, between Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan, established in 1997.

It developed and now operates a commercial expendable launch system using the Dnepr rocket. The Dnepr is a converted Soviet era SS-18 ICBM decommissioned as part of the START Treaty. ISC Kosmotras conducts Dnepr launches at both Baikonur Cosmodrome and at a new Yasny launch base in Dombarovskiy, Russia.

The Yasny launch base is located in Orenburg Region, Russia.

The base is composed of the following facilities:

• Admin & Hotel Complex including hotels, dining facilities and office premises;
• Assembly, Integration and Test Building (AITB) incorporating clean room facilities and fueling station;
• Block house on the launch pad for payload pre-launch health status control (hosts customer's personnel and equipment);
• Necessary utilities supporting the launch base operations.

The Yasny launch base is located next to the Dombarovsky air base.  Dombarovsky is an interceptor aircraft base in Orenburg Oblast, Russia, located 6 km northwest of the village of Dombarovsky, near Yasny. Dombarovsky was built during the mid-60s as a Soviet ICBM bases.