An 'expert seminar' took place in Paris on 21 September on the occasion of the 73rd International Astronautical Congress. Mr Michal Brichta presented to international partners, Slovak SMEs and start-ups, such as 3IPK, Astros Solutions, Spacemanic, Touch4IT, ABmerit and Needronix. This was followed by a reception hosted by HE Mr Igor Slobodník, Slovakia's Ambassador to France, to celebrate the association with ESA.

The level of support provided is set to increase, with a view to securing a successful integration of Slovakia in the frame of ESA, the further development of sustainable space capabilities, and their involvement in the European supply chain. The exchange of experts and information will help achieving these goals. With respect to the geographical distribution of contracts, ESA will strive at providing a fair industrial return to Slovakia. The preferred use of European space transportation systems, facilities, products and services belonging to, developed or operated under the auspices of ESA or its Member States, is also stipulated.

As a member of the European Union since 1 May 2004, Slovakia is already associated to the definition of an overall European Space Policy and participates in the EU Galileo and Copernicus programmes. Slovakia is now entitled to benefit from most ESA Basic Activities executed under the General Budget, and to provide scientific experiments or observation facilities to the mandatory programme.

Slovakia builds on a long tradition in the fields of astronomy and space research. A Moon crater has been named after Maximilián Rudolf Hell (1720-92), while Milan Rastislav Štefánik (1880-19) was awarded the Jules Janssen prize from the French Astronomical Society in 1907. The Lomnický Štít Observatory has played a significant role in mapping the stars, resulting in the discovery of the planet ‘1807 Slovakia’ in 1971. Since then, researchers and engineers have been contributing to major international missions such as Rosetta, BepiColombo and the Jupiter icy moons explorer Juice.

Slovak representatives will be entitled to attend meetings of ESA Council and its subordinate bodies, and to vote on questions relating to the activities and programmes in which Slovakia participates, in its capacity of Participating State in the case of optional programmes. A training session was delivered to that effect in Bratislava on 23 August. At the next Council meeting at Ministerial level to be held on 22-23 November in Paris, the government intends to subscribe to Technology, Earth Observation, and Space Safety programmes.

‘Terrae Novae’ might be considered at a later stage, as potential contributions focusing on biotechnology, life-support systems, additive manufacturing and robotic exploration have surfaced. Here also, Slovakia benefit from their legacy in human spaceflight. Vladimír Remek was the first non-Soviet, non-American person to travel into space, in 1978. Launched in the framework of the Intercosmos programme as Czechoslovak, he flew aboard Soyuz 28 to the Salyut 6 space station. Ivan Bella became the first Slovak to fly in space, as part of the joint ‘Štefánik’ mission to the Mir space station, in 1999.