Lower Austria: pioneers in space research with ESA cooperation!

Lower Austria: pioneers in space research with ESA cooperation!

In Lower Austria, there is a lot going on in the world of space travel. More than 40 research institutions in the region pull together and cooperate closely with the European space organization (ESA). A delegation from political and science representatives recently visited the ESA Center in Noordwijk to further expand this cooperation. As Heuten.at reports, work at the European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC) about 2,000 experts on modern technologies that in the areas of telecommunications, Satellite navigation, earth observation and climate research are important.

Lower Austria has invested an impressive 8.5 million euros in space technology in the past ten years. "We have a good hand in promoting new technologies," says LH-StV. Stephan Pernkopf. He plans to further expand the sector and get additional ESA orders home. Around 20 companies in Wiener Neustadt currently offer around 1,500 jobs in space research and aviation technology.

important cooperation contracts

Another big step in the region is the signing of contracts for cooperation between Lower Austria, the ESA and the research company Fotec of the FH Wiener Neustadt. Josef Aschbacher, General Director of the ESA, emphasizes the benefits of the electrical satellite drive systems from Enpulsion, which belong to the Viennese Neustadt University of Applied Sciences. Hundreds of these drive systems are already in use in space and increase the versatility of the German projects that have had their foot in space for 50 years

The legal framework for a new ESA Lab in Wiener Neustadt was also discussed, with a special focus on nano and microsatellites and their drive systems. Here the ESA has invested impressive 12 million euros in research in Fotec in recent years.

Future -oriented projects

FOTEC plans exciting research on small satellites that are exposed to the nuclear oxygen near the rise. In order to carry out these demanding tests, a new test center for qualifying the satellite parts will be built up. The project has an order volume of 250,000 euros and is created for nine months.

The strategic importance of space travel is recognized by the governments not only in Austria, but also nationwide. The ESA not only operates projects that affect space, but also important projects to observe the earth and the effects of climate change. The use of the latest satellite technologies enables networking of the world, which also increases security in space by publishing warnings of space scrap and asteroids.

The space sector in Lower Austria is dynamic and future -oriented. With the backlog of new projects and the focus on innovative technologies, the region could soon play an even more central role in European space travel. The will to collaboration remains strong and the course is set for the next steps in the stars.