ESA days in Košice

On Thursday, March 16, 2023, the first ESA days in Slovakia took place in Košice. The aim of the conference was to promote and explain the importance of the Slovak Republic’s associate membership in the European Space Agency (ESA) to the wider professional public. The Slovak Academy of Sciences plays an important role in Slovak space research, so it could not be absent from this event.

The conference was opened by Ján Horecký – Minister of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic and Josef Aschbacher – General Director of ESA. Representatives of the Slovak Space Agency and ESA from the section of new, cooperating and associated states informed about space activities in Slovakia and cooperation with ESA up to date. Slovakia became a full associate member of ESA on October 13, 2022.

During the presentation of awards at the proposal of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, Ing. Ján Baláž, PhD. received the award from the hands of the Minister for his contribution to the development of space technologies in Slovakia, as well as in memoriam prof. Karel Kudela, DrSc., for his contribution to the development of space research in Slovakia, both members of the Institute of Experimental Physics SAS. The third awarded personality in the space domain was the first Slovak astronaut Ivan Bella. ESA representatives particularly emphasized contribution of Ján Baláž to the ESA JUICE mission, which will set out on its way to Jupiter and its icy moons in just a few weeks.

In the next block of lectures, RNDr. Šimon Mackovjak, PhD. from the Institute of Experimental Physics SAS presented Slovakia’s potential in space research, specifically in the field of space weather. Next, Aleš Kučera from the Astronomical Institute of the SAS gave an overview lecture on Slovak space research, which is carried out at several institutes of the SAS. The number of ESA projects received so far within the PECS program also speaks about the potential of SAS for cooperation with ESA. Out of 61 successful projects in a total of seven calls since 2015, SAS institutes were the main contractor in nine projects (six times Institute of Experimental Physics SAS, twice Institute of Materials and Machine Mechanics SAS and once Institute of Landscape Ecology SAS).

ESA days in Slovakia continued on Friday (March 17) with an event for pupils, students and those interested in space called Touch the Space. The most interesting discussion for the public was certainly the one with Ivan Bella and Jean-Pierre Haigneré, two astronauts who were on a joint space mission back in 1999. “The main message the astronauts gave to the students was that if they prepare hard when their opportunity comes, they will be ready to seize it and fulfill their dream. How more space opportunities could arise in Košice, we discussed with representatives of the Slovak Space Agency, the Technical University in Košice, the IT industry and of course our Institute of Experimental Physics SAS” commented the guest of the subsequent panel discussion, Šimon Mackovjak.

The entire event was organized by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic together with the Association of Slovak Scientific and Technical Societies as a part of the 16th Forum of Engineers and Technicians of Slovakia. The Slovak Space Office participated in the preparations together with the industrial component operating within the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency and the European Space Agency.

Original source HERE