Meeting with ESA representatives attracted a record number of companies

At the end of November, a two-day ESA Info Days meeting of representatives of the European Space Agency (ESA) with Slovak companies and research organizations was held in Bratislava. It covered the 3rd RPA ESA national call and a presentation of ESA's optional programs (General Technical Support Program - GSTP, Earth Observation - EO, Space Security Program - S2P), and a presentation of the OSIP platform. During the event, it was possible to individually consult with ESA experts on intended project proposals (1-to-1 meetings).

During the meeting, participants had the opportunity to learn more about the upcoming 3rd national RPA call (Requesting Party Activities) within the Slovak associate membership, as well as individual ESA programs, and also to complete training in project preparation for ESA.

The 3rd national RPA call will be announced in early 2025 and is intended for experienced companies as well as complete newcomers to the space field, who can use it to validate their application in the sector. In recent years, it has attracted an increasing number of companies from traditional technological areas of the Slovak industry, such as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or software development.

The meeting was attended by approximately one hundred representatives of Slovak companies and research organizations, which indicates a growing interest in engaging in the space sector. This trend is also confirmed by the fact that in 2024, SARIO agency recorded the highest number of entities entering the sector since 2019 when it began to actively engage in the development of the space economy.

The Slovak Space Office representatives also used this opportunity to introduce the Slovak space ecosystem to four new international partners: Apogeo Space, Axiom Space, DLA Piper, and SATLANTIS.

The meeting with ESA representatives was organized by SARIO in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic as part of a joint project of the Slovak Space Office. You can read more about the project here.