EXA is the Ecuadorian Civilian Space Agency, founded on November 1st 2007 in Guayaquil, Ecuador as a civilian independent organism in charge of the administration and execution of the Ecuadorian Civilian Space Program, conduct scientific research on planetary and space sciences and to push forward de development of science in the educational system in the country.

EXA is the first space agency in the history of Ecuador, it has its own astronaut, the ASA/T Ronnie Nader, who is the Director of the Space Operations Division and is also the Honorary Chairman of the Directorate Board of EXA. his state of service is active, his position is of Mission Specialist and his function is Mission Commander.

EXA is backed up by the Ecuadorian State through the Ecuadorian Air Force with whom EXA maintains a close relationship, not only of work for the benefit of Ecuador, but also of mutual respect and friendship.

In less than a year of existence, EXA has achieved key goals and historical milestones for Ecuador: The first Latin-American microgravity plane, developed with its own science and technology alongside the Ecuadorian Air Force, the Guinness World Record for the youngest human being ever to fly in microgravity, the RIM-G, a system allowing almost any person to fly microgravity without being sick, opening the door for thousands of Ecuadorians to the marvels of 0G and to a new set of research opportunities. EXA jointly operates with the Ecuadorian Air Force the Ecuadorian Micro Gravity flight Program

EXA manages and executes the Ecuadorian Civilian Space Program planned initially for 10 years of duration and 3 phases of manned and unmanned space flights, including the first Ecuadorian astronaut in space, the first Ecuadorian satellite and a manned landing in the moon.

  • The Agency is organized with the following divisions
    1. Administration
    2. Space Operations
      1. Mission Control and Planning
      2. Astronaut Corps
      3. Engineering
    3. Sciences
      1. Planetary sciences
      2. Space sciences
      3. Information sciences
    4. International Relationships
    5. Corporate relationships
    6. Academic relationships

EXA developed an operates, through its Planetary Sciences division, the firsts an only UV radiation observatories on Ecuador, in Guayaquil and Quito and by the means of the National Radiation Monitor they report the level of UV radiation hitting this large cities in real time, providing protection, by means of timely and reliable information fro prevention, to more than 4 million Ecuadorians.

Since September 29 2008 EXA is member of the International Astronautical Federation IAF

EXA built and operates the first and only Internet-to-Orbit gateway in the world, the HERMES-A/MINOTAUR station, which is currently used by many universities and research institutions around the world. Also designed and operates the A SATELLITE IN THE CLASSROOM program, the only program in the world that allows elementary schools to have their own virtual ground station, so their students can download satellite images in real time in the classroom.

EXA designed and built the NEE-01 PEGASUS, the first ecuadorian satellite, the first in its class to be able to transmit live video from space and to have its own anti radiation shield, the NEE-01 is scheduled to be launched into orbit by the end of 2012.

In 2011 EXA was awarded with the VICENTE ROCAFUERTE Medal to Scientic Merit by the National Congress, this is the highest honor bestowed by the Ecuadorian State in scientific matters.

EXA uses some ensigns and emblems in the uniform of its astronaut corps and they are also used by the Aerospace corps of the Ecuadorian Air Force.

ASA/T astronaut wings: Used by EXa astronaut corps



Aerospace Pin:
Used by the FAE 047 Fuerza G-1 CONDOR crew
Aerospace mission commander star
Aerospace mission pilot star

Also EXA astronaut corps use black flight suits and its dress uniforms are also black with silver accents, the reason for this is because the combination is "black as the sky, silver as the stars"