Poland to host new ESA center as government boosts investments in space
WARSAW, Poland - Poland will host the first European Space Agency (ESA) center located in an eastern flank member state, one that will be focused on civil security and resilience.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and ESA's director general Josef Aschbacher announced the new facility during a press conference July 13 in the country's capital. Headquartered in Paris, ESA operates facilities in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. They did not share when the facility will open.
"Poland is becoming … one of the European leaders in the broadly understood field of space activity. This covers the development of science, technology and also business and security," Tusk said. "Here in Poland, this space center will be, among others, responsible for dual-use research and activities".
The development comes as Poland is boosting its expenditure on space-related programs, and local industry players such as Creotech Instruments, Eycore and SatRev are investing in developing their capacities and securing a growing number of foreign clients.
The Polish government increased its ESA contribution by a factor of ten, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement, having committed 51 million euros in the 2023-2025 period and 550 million euros in 2026-2028. Poland's Finance Minister Andrzej Domański, who also participated in the conference, announced that the nation aims to double its expenditure on the space sector in the coming years.
For the 2026–2028 period, Poland's financial contribution to ESA's budget will increase to 731 million euros ($833 million). Within that contribution, the Polish government will double its allocation for optional programs, including the development of satellite data-based services and robotics, to 550 million euros, according to the office's statement.
The Polish government will also establish a new state-run fund worth more than 500 million zloty ($132 million) to invest in prospective space companies, Domański said.
"I have no doubt that … the space industry will become another engine of the Polish economy in the coming decades," he said.
In a press statement, ESA said that preparations are underway to initiate numerous pre-operational activities from 2027, laying the groundwork for the facility's gradual development and future operations.
"The new ESA Centre will mark a new chapter for ESA and a major step for Poland which has rapidly become one of the driving forces in Europe's space sector," ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher said in the agency's statement. "As Europe continues to strengthen its resilience in an increasingly challenging environment, the Centre will help build the capabilities we need to protect our interests, support our citizens and act with confidence."
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