Bezárás
Bezárás

Office in Wigner Center supports Hungarian use of space technology

Hungary, as a full member of the European Space Agency, has joined the Technology Transfer Network of the international organisation, which aims at applying the results of space technology in other industrial fields and in everyday life. The Hungarian office was opened in the MTA Wigner Research Centre for Physics, in cooperation with the Hungarian Space Office.

27 January, 2017

“It is characteristic of space activity that it not only informs us about faraway celestial bodies, planets and stars, but also about the Earth,” said Domokos Szász, Vice President of the Academy, in his opening speech. “Owing to space activity, more and more innovations are integrated into our everyday lives.”

This idea is embodied in the Technology Transfer Network of the European Space Agency (ESA), which Hungary, as a full member of the ESA, has just joined. At first, the aim of the three-year-long cooperation is to enable the office to discover and support financial initiatives and novel projects that can make use of the results of space research. The most promising opportunities for cooperation are in the following fields: satellite-supported navigation, telecommunication, meteorology, medicine and environmental protection.

Participants at the press conference from left to right: Burton Lee, Aude de Clercq, Domokos Szász, Károly Balázs Solymár, Fruzsina Tari and Péter Lévai Souirce: mta.hu/Tamás Szigeti

Károly Balázs Solymár, Deputy Under-Secretary of State responsible for info-communication at the Ministry of National Development, said: “Space technology should address everyday problems we are facing here on Earth. Our priorities are to secure the prosperity of our country and increase the efficiency of industrial production and space industry is an important tool in helping us achieve these goals. A new opportunity is now available for Hungarian companies to make their top technology developments serve these objectives, both inside and outside the country.”

The new office was opened in the MTA Wigner Research Centre for Physics. “ESA’s decision is based on the fact that researchers at the Wigner Research Please click here to view our picture gallery of the eventCentre for Physics have been participating in diverse space programmes for decades, with the support of the Hungarian Space Board, consequently acquiring a broad expertise in certain areas of space technology. Simultaneously, the Centre’s innovation activity has strengthened significantly in recent years, allowing well-experienced experts to help solve problems arising during technology transfers,” added Péter Lévai, Director General of the Research Centre.

Aude de Clercq and Péter Lévai Source: mta.hu/Szigeti Tamás

Aude de Clercq, a representative of the ESA Technology Transfer Program Office, declared that the organisation is bringing a well-tested and successful model to Hungary. She also mentioned a specific example for the connection between space technology and everyday life. The ESA Technology Transfer Program allowed for the development of an extremely wear- and heat-resistant brake disc used in passenger cars, based on the observations of a German firm specialising in the development and production of ceramic heat shields used to protect space equipment designed to return to the atmosphere of the Earth.

The elements of the International Technology Transfer Program of ESA are as follows:

  • access to patented space technology developments;
  • maintenance of a network in 16 European countries, including Hungary: it allows for the transfer and use of space technology information, special materials, knowledge and services for industrial purposes;
  • support of start-up businesses;
  • creation of investment possibilities.