United States Space Administration

The United States Space Administration or USSA was the agency of the United States responsible for the administration of the nation's space program.

Background
Captain Carl Bell was credited as the first human in space onboard the space capsule Defiance 7, making a full revolution around the Earth in twelve minutes and seven seconds. Bell died on May 5, 1961 when the capsule crashed on its return.

On July 16, 1969, the Virgo II lunar lander "Valiant 11," piloted by Captains Richard Wade, Mark Garris, and Michael Hagen, became the first manned space vehicle to touch down on the moon. The astronauts became the first humans to walk on a celestial body other than Earth. On November 14, 1969, the Virgo III "Valiant 12" also landed on the moon, leaving behind its flag. Constructed with special materials to withstand the harsh environment, the flag survived on the surface until it was found in 2052 by the crew of the last manned flight to the moon's surface.

In 2020, the USSA commissioned Delta IX rocket, one of the most successful rockets in the nation's history with over 77 successful launches. The spacecraft was developed entirely by USSA scientists and could hold two astronauts, sustaining them for up to 24 days. The longest recorded spaceflight in a Delta IX rocket was the 17-day Zeus 12 mission to the moon. The spacecraft was the last of the manned rockets to the moon, converted afterward for military use, removing the crew and instrument sections in order to hold a nuclear warhead.

The USSA sponsored the Museum of Technology's spaceflight gallery, which included an exhibit featuring a replica Virgo II lunar lander, G-force simulator, Copernicus Planetarium, and Delta IX rocket, supported by a grant from the United States Department of Antiquities.

Research projects
The USSA Research and Development Department division worked on the Deep Sleep project, which launched in 2070. The project's aim was to test the viability of hibernation pods in outer space, with the project comprising four individuals, including Commander Sofia Daguerre. Dr. Emerson Hale accepted the government contract with Arktos Pharma to develop Project-Z. The project aimed to develop a serum derivation of Formula K, modified for Zero G efficiency in human subjects.

Naval Radio Station Sugar Grove served as a USSA installation. A.T.H.E.N.A., the Deep Sleep project AI, was located in the facility's data center. A U.S.S.A. console is a craftable workshop object used by Sofia.

Meanwhile, Colonel Hartigan, his space capsule Clarabella 7, and Holly Barrisford, USSA linguistics specialist, had been abducted by aliens and held in captivity aboard their mothership.

The USSA planned the Mars Shot Project to launch a manned mission to Mars by July 2078. ArcJet Systems was contracted by USSA to produce the XMB booster engine and Deep Range Transmitter for the project. In September 2077, the USSA raised concerns over rising political tensions, estimating that the Mars Shot Project may be delayed for a year or more.

Spacecraft

 * Defiance 7
 * Clarabella 7
 * Virgo II
 * Virgo III
 * Delta IX rocket
 * Delta XI rocket