13/01/2025
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Slovenia has celebrated its status ESA’s 23rd Member State with a day of space activities including a primetime television broadcast from the Herman Potočnik Noordung Space Technology Center in Vitanje.
Keynote speeches were given by the prime minister of Slovenia Dr Robert Golob and ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, who had both signed the Agreement on Slovenia’s accession to the ESA Convention on 18 June 2024. Following ratification by the Slovenian government, Slovenia deposited its instrument of ratification of the ESA Convention in Paris to become an ESA Member State on 1 January.
Dr Golob referred to Slovenia’s space strategy motto ‘small on Earth, big in space’ and described future ambitions for space research and development, as well as exploration and space applications.
“In space activities we invest in our future, in research and development, and growth of business opportunities as well,” he said, adding “Slovenia is determined that it will be great in the universe, as the potential is great.” Dr Golob also emphasised Slovenia’s successes in Earth observation, of particular importance for a country with diverse geographical features and vulnerability to climate change.
The ESA Director General promised that Slovenia would now be even closer to space, saying “Slovenia brings extraordinary capabilities to ESA – expertise in training international astronauts, advancements in artificial intelligence and data management, and groundbreaking work in micro-satellites. Your scientific excellence and entrepreneurial spirit will undoubtedly enrich our collective mission.”
Josef Aschbacher also paid tribute to the Minister and State Secretary in charge of space matters, Mr Matjaz Han, and Mr Matevž Frangež and the Slovenian Space Office, as well as ESA Directors and colleagues who helped advance Slovenia’s involvement with ESA over the past 16 years. In his speech, Minister Han praised the results already being achieved by Slovenia’s rapidly growing space sector.
Slovenia first signed a Cooperation Agreement with ESA in 2008. Since then, Slovenian companies and research institutes have worked on dozens of contracts among them exploration, Earth observation, and technology projects. In 2021, the ESA Short-Arm Human Centrifuge was inaugurated in the Planica Nordica Centre, while an ESERO office opened in 2024.
Welcoming Slovenia to the ‘ESA family’, the Director General looked ahead to November 2025’s Council at Ministerial level, saying the proposals there should accommodate Europe’s ambitions and those of every Member State, now including Slovenia