These efforts have put India as a pre-eminent space-faring nation among the handful of six countries that have major space programmes.

As with the other post-war space-faring nations, the British government's initial interest in space was primarily military.

"We are seeing the book closed on five decades of accomplishments as the world's leading space-faring nation," Cernan said.

Remember back when the United States was a space-faring nation?

For decades its successes dazzled the world and were the envy of space-faring nations.

Other space-faring nations have lost interest in the ship's potential as the new International Space Station has become reality.

India today has a pride of place amongst the space-faring nations in launch vehicle technology.

Not that any of the Big Three space-faring nations really trust the other two when it comes to space.

Spacecraft from every space-faring nation, heading here to help us.

However, as of January 1, 2013 only 15 states have ratified the agreement,, and none of these are major space-faring nations.