Main Control Room / Mission Control Room of ESA at the European Space Operations Centre. (source: ESA - Jürgen Mai)
After many years of cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA), Slovakia's associate membership of the agency – a move which significantly expanded Slovakia's potential in the space research sector – was confirmed by President Zuzana Čaputová's signature in 2022.
While few are likely to name Slovakia if asked about major players in space research, Slovak scientists are actually playing a key role in some cutting-edge projects in the sector. For example, they are crucial to the development of the future European Solar Telescope, as well as ongoing space missions to Mercury and Jupiter (the latter launched in April 2023).
The Slovak Spectator talked to the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency (SARIO), which is responsible for developing the country's space sector and its international partnerships, about key developments in the sector.
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Project incubation
In June, SARIO organised the second edition of Spaceport_SK, the Slovak incubator for space startups, showcasing the diversity of the country's space economy.
