In February 1997 the Japanese radio astronomy satellite HALCA was launched to provide the space-borne element for the VSOP mission. HALCA provided linear resolution three-times greater than that of ground arrays at the same observing frequencies, thus providing higher AGN brightness temperature measurements and limits. Twenty-five percent of the scientific time of the mission was devoted to the ``VSOP survey'' of bright, compact, extra-galactic radio sources at 5 GHz. A complete list of 298 survey targets were selected from pre-launch surveys, 91% of which were observed during the satellite's lifetime. The major goals of the VSOP Survey are statistical in nature: to determine the brightness temperature and approximate structure, to provide a source list for use with future space VLBI missions, and to compare radio properties with other data throughout the electro-magnetic spectrum. All the data collected have now been analysed and is being prepared for the final image Survey paper. In this paper we present images of a selection of the sources, details of the mission, and statistical analysis of the cores.