Poland in space. There is an agreement between the government and the European Space Agency

Today, Minister of Development and Technology Waldemar Buda and Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), Dr. Josef Aschbacher, signed agreements on programs supporting the development of the Polish space sector. The first concerns internships for Polish graduates at ESA, the second concerns the development of Polish space technologies. Buda and Aschbacher also exchanged an agreement signed at the beginning of August guaranteeing the presence of a second Pole in space.

“Strengthened cooperation between Poland and ESA will pay off many times over”

– We have aspirations, but also predispositions, to be among the countries that have highly developed space technologies in a few years. In 10-15 years, the strength of states will be assessed precisely from this angle. Our goal is not to catch up with others, but to be among the world’s leaders – emphasizes the head of the Ministry of Development and Technology.

– Strengthened cooperation between Poland and ESA will pay us back many times over – the second Pole in history will fly into space, the level of domestic space technologies will increase, high-paid jobs will be created, and our economy will develop dynamically – he adds.

The Ministry of Development and Technology indicates in a statement that in addition to the above agreements, enhanced cooperation between Poland and ESA also assumes the construction of two or three observation satellites in Poland and new contracts for Polish companies. – Thanks to the agreements signed today, local entrepreneurs and representatives of research centers and institutions will be able to refine their solutions, which will allow them to become more competitive on the international market. In addition to supporting Polish technological thought, we also invest in future staff of the space sector. The possibility of an internship at ESA is a chance for graduates of Polish universities to gain invaluable knowledge – emphasizes Waldemar Buda.

Internship at ESA

Graduates of fields related to broadly understood space policy will be able to apply for an internship at ESA. The first recruitment organized by the Polish Space Agency (POLSA) is planned for September this year. The program provides for a total of 30 two-year paid internships, which will improve the qualifications of Polish space sector specialists and contribute to staff development. EUR 3 million was allocated for the implementation of internships.

The second agreement concerns a program that is intended to help create Polish space specialties in areas that are not covered by ESA thematic programs. Funds in the amount of EUR 7 million will be allocated for the implementation of projects at medium and high levels of technological readiness, as well as for the development of satellites.