The government sees space research programs as key areas for economic and technological growth, the state secretary of state for security policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said at the opening of the 33rd Congress of the International Astronaut Association in Budapest on Monday.
Péter Sztáray put it this way: the government has recognized the global importance of a high degree of focus on the business opportunities inherent in the space sector. He emphasized that this year the first Hungarian government space strategy was published, the aim of which is to highlight the strengths and challenges of the sector and to formulate priority projects.
These priorities range from the launch of the first Hungarian commercial satellite and the development of the related terrestrial segment to the strengthening of the education pillar of space research to more active participation in international initiatives related to space research.
– said the Secretary of State.
He called human spaceflight a key priority area for the strategy. He stressed that the government is committed to sending a research astronaut to the international space station in order to conduct Hungarian scientific experiments and validate devices in microgravity.
Stressing the importance of international partnerships, Péter Sztáray said: since becoming a member of the European Space Agency in 2015
Hungary has quadrupled its budget for space activities. In addition, forms of cooperation are being developed with American companies such as Axiom Space, which is a designated partner in the implementation of the Hungarian astronaut mission.
The traditional cooperation with the Russian Space Agency dates back to the Intercosmos program, and Hungary has already concluded nine bilateral agreements with other countries, from Brazil to Israel, from Singapore to Turkey, he added. Oleg Kotov, president of the association, said that due to the coronavirus epidemic, their event will be held in hybrid form, partly online. Their goal is to transfer their experience, with which I would like to inspire young people and researchers in Hungary to space research.
To this end, the participants of the congress will meet undergraduate and high school students in Budapest, Miskolc, Győr, Debrecen and Kecskemét.
Opening the congress, retired brigadier general Bertalan Farkas, a research astronaut, also spoke about the fact that on the occasion of the Day of the Dead, the conference participants will plant a memorial tree in the City Park on Monday in honor of the deceased astronauts.
At the press conference held after the opening, Orsolya Ferencz, Ministerial Commissioner for Space Research and Space Activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, emphasized that the recruitment of the second Hungarian scientific astronaut mission, the Hungarian to Orbit (Hunor) program, had begun electronically at hunor.g to apply by January 31, 2022.
The Minister explained that since it is a scientific mission, in addition to height, weight and other parameters in line with international standards, higher education, knowledge of English and preferably Russian, as well as mental stability and the ability to work in a team are particularly important.
The future Hungarian astronaut will be selected next year, after which the physical preparation and scientific training will take place – added Orsolya Ferencz. The 33rd Congress of the International Astronaut Association will be held in Budapest on November 1-5. between.
MTI
