After 44 years, Hungarian astronauts will conquer space!

Orsolya Ferencz, the foreign ministry’s commissioner for space science, has called Hungary’s membership in the European Space Agency (ESA) since 2015 a “real success story”. Here are the Hungarian astronauts having a chance to go and conquer space after Bertalan Farkas’s voyage in 1980.

Speaking to public current affairs channel M1, Ferencz summarized the Hungarian Incentive Scheme programme which was launched in cooperation of ESA and the foreign ministry and had come to a close.

Under the programme the Hungarian space sector could learn about opportunities provided by ESA, she said. “Those opportunities have played a key role in a faster development of the sector, in making it more competitive and more prepared for future ESA programmes,” she said.

Tibor Kapu (32, mechanical engineer, r), the Hungarian astronaut, who was chosen to go to space. Electrical engineer Gyula Cserényi is his backup (l). Photo: FB/Orbán

Ferencz called Hungary’s cooperation with ESA “a pillar” of Hungary’s space strategy, noting the space agency was an official partner in the Hungarian to Orbit (HUNOR) astronaut programme.

Geraldine Naja, ESA’s Director of Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness, said at a press conference on the incentive scheme that “the excellent cooperation between ESA and the foreign ministry has played a highly important role in Hungary’s significant improvement in space research”. She said the HUNOR programme to be carried out in partnership with ESA offered Hungary “an immense opportunity” for Hungary in future.

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