Poland is a relatively new player in the space industry but combining Polish ambition and Belgian expertise, the two can become partners in a competitive ecosystem.

The first Polish-Belgian Space Day was held in Warsaw this September. Hosted by the Polish Space Agency, Belgian Science Policy Office and the Embassy of Belgium in Warsaw, the event brought together 30 big names in the space sector in order to facilitate cooperation between the two camps.

The official welcome address was given by Col. Piotr Suszyński, POLSA Acting Vice President of Defense and Her Excellency Colette Taquet, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium in Warsaw. Francois Xavier Thibaut, Space Program Specialist representing the Belgian Science Policy Office and Paweł Szrot, Secretary of State in the Chancellery of the Prime Minister, also took part in the meeting. “Belgium has cutting edge expertise. We do not pretend to be the first but we are certainly not the last and we can offer optimal solutions to many complex challenges,” said Taquet.

Fifteen Polish companies and institutions, such as Asseco, Creotech Instruments, Hertz Systems, ITTI, Syderal Polska, PSNC (Poznań Supercomputing and Networking Center) presented their achievements. On the Belgian side, eleven firms, including SKY WIN (Aerospace Cluster of Wallonia) and its members CSL, Sabca, Amos, Lambda-X and Sonaca and the VRI (Flemish Space Industry Association) and its affiliated companies showed off their specialisations.

During their visit in Poland, Belgian representatives also attended a meeting at the headquarters of the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences where they learned about the institute’s achievements and further opportunities for bilateral cooperation.  

Photos courtesy of POLSA.

Established in 1977, the Polish Academy of Sciences’ Space Research Centre is dedicated to research of terrestrial space, the solar system and the Earth using space technology and satellite techniques.