We are planning to send a Hungarian astronaut into outer space in 2024, who will become the second Hungarian astronaut of all time, stated Péter Sztáray, the State Secretary responsible for security policy at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, at the European space policy conference held at the National University of Public Service (NKE). At the international conference, which was conducted throughout in English, the state secretary said that
this meeting is a milestone for Hungary in terms of space policy, because it promotes and makes our country's international space activities more important.
The dynamic development of the European space sector can only be ensured if there is harmonious and balanced cooperation between the ESA ( European Space Agency-ed. ) and the EU, and Hungary wants to be an integral part of this with its contribution, he emphasized. He explained that Hungary is often called an ambitious small space state, and we have worked hard to achieve this. He recalled that
our country joined the ESA in 2015, created a space strategy last year, and started the Hunor program, within the framework of which it wants to send a Hungarian astronaut into outer space.
Péter Sztáray/Source: Hungarian Nation
He noted that, in addition to the EU and ESA, we must cooperate closely with the UN and NATO. He also mentioned that this year our contribution to the ESA was 16.8 million euros, and we plan to keep it at least at the current level, with which we want to strengthen our commitment to the program at the ministerial meeting in Paris in November. At the end of his speech, Péter Sztáray said: security, sustainability, and the peace of space are the main priority and common interest of future generations, and according to him, humanity will return to the moon in this decade and conquer Mars in the next.
András Koltay, the president of the National Media and Communications Authority (NMHH) and the Media Council, stated that the purpose of the conference is to create regulatory security for an industry worth hundreds of millions of dollars, which plays an increasingly important role in societies. He stated that NMHH wants to be a partner of domestic and foreign service providers, with whom the Hungarian government has established successful cooperation, especially in those areas that can provide the greatest benefits to society. He also talked about how
are sponsoring the development of the next Hungarian satellite, which the technical university will launch this December.
Orsolya Ferencz/Source: BEOL/Lajos Apati-Nagy
According to Orsolya Ferencz, the minister responsible for space research, the most important thing is that there is only one Earth, which must somehow be shared. He believed that the history of mankind has reached a turning point, and outer space plays a decisive role in this. He stated
Hungary moved forward when in 2018 the government voted in favor of assigning space policy to foreign affairs, and after four years behind us, it can be concluded that the government made a good decision.
He reminded that with the national space strategy adopted in 2021, we started to build and strengthen international cooperation, during which the EU and ESA became our most important strategic partners. Orsolya Ferencz said that
they will launch the astronaut program with four candidates at the end of the month.
The only negative thing she mentioned about the program was that relatively few women signed up for it. He emphasized that the Hungarian space industry is a very important part of the strategy, and in cooperation with the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, they started compiling a catalog addressed to companies. The ministerial commissioner hopes that the fruits of these efforts will soon ripen in the industrial sector.
Source: Hungarian Nation
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