Austrian Space Agency Type: Government Abbreviation: ALR Administration: Andreas Geisler Founded: 1972 Launchers: Spacecraft: Spacelab | GALILEO Country: AUT The Austrian Space Agency was founded in 1972 and joined the ESA as a member in 1987. In 2005, control of the ALR was transferred to the Austrian Agency for Aerospace. They coordinated the first flight of an Austrian in space with a Soyuz launch in 1990.