International Cooperation: The Inter-Agency Consultative Group for Space Science (IACG)

Abstract

In 1981 the four space agencies Intercosmos, ISAS, NASA and ESA formed the Inter-Agency Consultative Group for Space Science (IACG). The objectives of the IACG are to maximise opportunities for multilateral scientific coordination among approved space science missions in areas of mutual interest. The IACG is a multi-agency international forum in which space science activities are discussed on an informal basis among representatives of the member agencies. It concentrates on a single discipline area of approved space science projects as a focal point for a number of years. Until 1986 the IACG coordinated the six space missions to Halley's Comet: Vega 1 and Vega 2 from Intercosmos, Suisei and Sakigake from ISAS, ICE from NASA and Giotto from ESA. Since 1986 the IACG has been coordinating 13 projects involving 20 spacecraft in solar–terrestrial science.