Overview[]
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was formed on October 1, 2003, by the merger of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), the National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan (NAL) and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) into one independent administrative institution to be able to perform all their activities in the aerospace field as one organization, from basic research and development to utilization.