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| 10th November 2009 - SME4space 2009 Conference |
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SME4space is a pan-European association of national space industry alliances, created with active support of ESA SME Unit and the ESA DG. Czech Space Alliance is one of the founding members.
Following a conference in Rome earlier this year, this even was focused on new states. Apart from established ESA member countries' representatives from UK and Italy, EADS Astrium, and the host, the Hungarian Space Office, the conference welcomed speakers from ROSA (Rumania), Poland and Slovenia. A very marked difference was noted in the optimism of the speakers representing the government and those from the industry. The presentations demonstrated that the government support and initiative towards ESA membership shows marked differences from country to country, with Romania being the most optimistic. Our other partners in the initial round of PECS, Hungary and Poland, are looking at a prolonged continuation of PECS.
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| 5th November 2009 - Members of the alliance invited for talks with key personnel of Thales in Cannes |
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Several members of the alliance were invited to Cannes to visit the installations and to hold 1-1 meetings with the managers of all key divisions of Thales. The seminar was also attended by the secretary of the ESA task force who provided some insight into the ESA tender in which many members participated. Czech Space Office presented the background of the Czech space history and achievements. We were very pleased about the interest of Thales in our small companies and thanked them also for their hospitality and a very friendly atmoshpere of the event
Meeting of Thales and Czech industry delegation – the participants.
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| 30th October 2009 - Meeting the Brazilian Delegation to Prague |
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The Brazilian Ambassador invited us to her residence to meet a political and industrial delegation to the Czech Republic. We had the opportunity to meet the European representative of Embraer, as well as several important political personalities from the Brazilian government, who took great interest in our effort to conclude a co-operation agreement in space technology with the Brazilian space agency AEB.
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| 26th October 2009 - EISC XI - annual European Interparliamentary Space Conference in London |
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As last year in Prague, where we also presented the activities of the alliance, the CSA participated in this event in London, accompanying our representatives the Senator Nedoma, the Member of Parliament Hojda, and the government commissioner for the Galileo office in Prague Dobes.
The event started by a very thematic reception in the space exhibition of the Science Museum. Very interesting presentations came for instance from the ESA DG, who suggested that we should switch off all the satellites for a while so that the public realises how much of their life is made easier by space technology. The representatives of the British industry and the BNSC reported among other things about the advanced stage of discussions about replacing the BNSC by a British Space Agency.
The conclusions of the event are reachable [here] .
Ian Taylor (MP) wellcomes the EISC participants in the Science Museum.
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| 22nd October 2009 - Joint CSA and the Czech Technical University seminar with the Chairman of ISRO |
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On the initiative of H.E. the ambassador of India, the alliance and the CVUT were asked to organise a seminar on the ocassion of the visit of the Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation to Prague, Mr. G. Madhavan Nair.
The Chairman, was attending the EU Space Exploration conference near Prague and wanted to take advantage of his stay to meet members of the alliance and selected professors of CVUT. University projects and members of the alliance presented themselves to Mr. Nair and the Ambassador. After a lunch hosted by the rector of CVUT, the Paris representative of ISRO gave us an overview of the impressive scope and achievements of India in space technologies, and their applications for the benefit of the Indian society.
A number of Czech technologies and projects elicited special interest of Mr. Nair. He suggested that a Czech delegation visit ISRO at the next opportunity to continue the discussion and meet their staff in person.
Mr. Sobotka (Frentech MD) and Mr. Nair (ISRO Chairman) discussing business.
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| 15th -16th OCtober 2009 - EGNOS/Galileo, GMES and space exploration conference in Brussels |
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This conference, organised by Business Bridge Europe, was attended by top representatives of EU (from Barroso down), ESA (the DG etc.), directors of Astrium, TAS, OHB ...and a number of other space companies and institutions. The Czech official delegates were Karel Dobes, and Marek Mora, representative of the Czech government for European affairs. In an atmosphere of frustration from the Czech delays of approval of the Lisbon treaty, which were considered important for the successful progress of the two major EU wide space projects Galileo and GMES, Mr. Mora made an excellent speech which raised the optimism of those present. The event was an excellent opportunity to meet top industry representatives, distribute remaining CSA brochures and refresh older contacts. An EC representative repeated the announcement that the commission launched on 1st October 2009 the free EGNOS open service. Speakers hailed it as an important success towards the European navigation system. A member of the CSA is contributing to the ESA EGNOS development.
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| 30th September - 2nd October 2009 - Czech National Exhibition and the Czech Mexican Technology Days in Mexico City |
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CSA had a stand at this exhibition, co-organised by the Ministry of Industry and Czechinvest. We presented the achievements of the CSA in the short period that the Czech Republic is in ESA to an audience which included the director for Europe of the Mexican Foreign Ministry, leader of the activity to establish the Mexican space agency, representative of the Czech government cabinet etc. The CSA president and the leader of the future Mexican space agency exchanged their views and plans in a discussion panel. In subsequent discussion with the Ministry of Exterior, the CSA president agreed to put the Mexican parliamentarians in contact with the EISC which he did by passing the information to our representatives in EISC, Messrs. Nedoma and Hojda (see news item of 26th October 2009).
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| 29th August 2009 - Alliance invited to the launch event of the 1st commercial Spanish satellite Deimos 1 |
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CSA president was one of only two foreigners in a crowded conference hall in Valladolid, Spain, where we were following the direct broadcast of the launch of the Spanish satellite Deimos 1, commented by the Spanish astronaut Pedro Duque. Pedro had previously supported our space SME conference in Prague by sending a personal video message as well as videos from his flight in space. The launch was a success and will open to doors to commerical exploitation of satellite images by Deimos Imaging, company managed by Pedro.
The reception following the successful launch gave opportunity to refresh working contacts with a number of Spanish businesses and institutions. The following day in Madrid, the CSA president met representatives of GMV, Technodata and INTA.
Petr Bares (CSA) meets Pedro Duque during the Deimos launch.
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| 21st January 2009 - Czech Space Alliance meets their German equivalent, the AKRK in Bonn |
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The CSA president and another member Mr. Sysala travelled to DLR in Bonn, to meet members of the Arbeitskreis Raumfahr KMU and to make a presentation of its members and activities. Afterwards both answered a number of questions from the attending industry.
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| 13th January 2009 - Austrian FFG agency invited Czech companies to participate in an ESA GSTP-5 workshop in Vienna |
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Thanks to the support of Mr. Dobes, a number of CSA members attended the workshop organised by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG. Alliance made a presentation about its members skiils and recent space projects. Follow up is planned in Prague at the end of 2009.
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| 12th November 2008 - The Czech Republic accedes to the ESA convention |
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The Czech Republic becomes the first of the new EU states to become a full member of ESA. The Czech Republic co-operated with ESA in science projects since the 1990's. On 1.1.2005 it started the PECS programme, which led to inclusion of some industry projects.
The upgrade from a co-operating state (ESA PECS programme) to a member state was accomplished before the initially foreseen 5 year PECS period finished, owing to the determination of the Czech government and strong push from their advisors, as well as the good results of the Czech participation during the transition programme.
The Czech Republic not only committed the mandatory contribution of 5.4 MEUR but also subscribed to 13 optional programmes.
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| 25th - 29th February 2008 - Czech Space Alliance accompanies the Prime Minister on his mission to the US and Canada |
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The Czech Space Alliance was selected together with 4 other companies to accompany the Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Minister of Interior and vice Minister of Foreign Affairs on his trip to Washington, Ottawa and Toronto.
The common program included an impressive lecture by the Prime Minister in the Heritage Foundation, and a meeting of the industrial delegation with the vice president Gary Litman of the US Chamber of Commerce. This chamber has 3 million (yes) members and its sole activity is lobbying. The vice president took interest in our space activities and undertook to forward our materials to the Space Enterprise Council, which has some 30 members.
Main focus though was Canada, as it is an associate member of ESA.
Apart from the common programme, we discussed the impending ESA membership with the Canadian Space Agency and agreed further meetings in near future in Europe. On their recommendation we met the vice president of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC). This association has 400 members of which some 20 work in space disciplines.
Further we met the vice president of MDA, one of the most important Canadian space companies, which is now about to be sold to the US.
All the people we met agreed to pass the information about the alliance and the coming ESA membership to the relevant responsible persons and keep in touch.
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| 15th January 2008 - Czech negotiation for ESA membership leaps forward |
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Czech negotation team, led by the Vice Minister of Education, discussed today the acceptance procedure with ESA team in the Paris HQ. Czech Space Alliance leader participated in the role of an advisor of the Minister of Transport.
The outcome of the negotiation was excellent, with a schedule which should make the Czech Republic full member on 1.1.2009. The initial minimum contribution to the ESA mandatory budget for 2009 should be of the order of 5.3 million Eur.
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| Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 15-16th November 2007 - CSA mission to ESA / ESTEC |
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With the support of Czechtrade and the Czech Ministry of Exterior, CSA organised a 2 day working visit to the technology development centre of ESA in Noordwijk. Six companies took part in the first working meetings between ESA and Czech aerospace industry. One day was dedicated to ESA, and included very informative presentations by ESTEC managers, presentations of individual Czech companies, and a visit to the International Space Station simulator. The other day was used to meet potential partner industries working for ESA. Among other, we had a very interesting and intensive 1/2 day with all key managers of Dutch Space where we discussed specific future projects which could lead to co-operation with our alliance members. We also met representatives from Vega, Booze Allen and exchanged information with several other ESA suppliers. Alliance members were very impressed with the interest shown by our hosts and the participation of so many key personnel from ESA and the companies. We thank them all for the time and helpfulness and look forward to future co-operation in ESA projects. Also thanks to Czechtrade and the Ministry of Exterior for their substantial support.
Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 15-16th November 2007 - CSA mission to ESA / ESTEC
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| Prague, 7th November 2007 - Czech government doubles and re-doubles its ESA contributions for 2008 and 2009 |
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The Czech government passed a substantial increase of the contributions to ESA, to give a clear and tangible signal, that we mean business and want to participate fully in ESA programmes. The funds will be in the PECS budget until we become full members, when it will be rolled over into the standard budget. This year (two months) the budget is doubled, in 2008 it will be 3.9 million Eur and in 2009 6.3 million Eur. The latter excedes the minimum contribution due for full membership.
The Prime Minister with ESA DG, poised to move the Czech flag over to the ESA fold.
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| 10th - 12th October 2007 - ESA Audits the Czech aerospace industry |
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Following the January 2007 application of the Czech Republic to accede to the ESA convention, i.e. become full ESA member, ESA carried out an audit of Czech companies and institutes, to asses their technological level. From the 23 private companies selected from the whole country, 8 are members of the Czech Space Alliance - namely Compotech, CSRC, Evolvsys, Frencken, Iguassu, Inter-Informatics and Relfex. Moreover, the ESA expert team visited the Frencken factory, supplier of Airbus, and were apparently very impressed.
Whilst the audit report was not published as it was for internal ESA purposes, the feedback we got was very positive and accelerated the membership negotations.
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| Paris, 8th October 2007 - Czech government led by the prime minister in talks with ESA DG |
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The Czech Prime Minister Topolanek, minister of industry, minister of transport, vice minister of exterior held talks with the DG, calling for acceleration of the process to acceede to the ESA convention.The DG was receptive and undertook to forward the urgency to the council. Czech Space Alliance also actively participated in the meeting, and raised the issue of limited access to EMITS information. A solution was found and the directorates informed the following day about how to deal with information requests from PECS countries.
Leader of the Czech Space Alliance, Minister of Transport, Minister of Industry,the Prime Minister, ESA DG, Vice Minister of Defence, vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, director of ESA science, director of ESA legal department
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| Paris, 19th June 2007 - Czech Space Alliance becomes one of the founding members of the pan-European association SME4space |
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Following consistent initiatives of the Czech Space Alliance in promoting Czech space industry in international events, including the ESA SINEQUANET conferences, our partner organisations in the UK and Italy, had invited us to become one of the founding members of the pan-European consortium SME4space. SME4space is a European consortium consisting of a group of Small- and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Trade Associations, plus individual SME companies from ESA Member and Cooperating States that do not yet have any respective national association.
Czech Space Alliance has been present at the act of inauguration of SME4space in the ESA pavilion at the Paris air-show in Le Bourget and the signature of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) by the ESA General Director M. J.J. Dordain and the SME4space chairman Mr. Giovanni Sylos Labini. The agreement will enable both parties to share information on the expectations and interests of European SMEs for space programmes and activities, and facilitate SME access to ESA programmes and space activities in general. As such, it will facilitate the access of SMEs to space activities, particularly to ESA programmes. ESA's intention is to derive the maximum benefit from innovative, dynamic and entrepreneurial European SMEs by drawing on their skills, expertise and cost-effectiveness for its programmes.
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| Prague, August 2006 - Czech Space Alliance reaches the critical mass to be established as an export alliance of CzechTrade |
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Five Czech technology SMEs have joined their forces and resources to create the Czech Space Alliance, with the backing of Czechtrade, the export promotion agency of the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Three of the founding members already have a good track record in space business, as highlighted in the survey of the Czech industry carried out on behalf of by ESA by the French NODAL Consultancy in 2003. The other two have excellent references in aircraft industry and are aiming at widening their portfolio to space, in particular ESA business. See downloads for a description of their respective activities and the aims of the alliance.
The creation of the alliance had been warmly welcome by various key ESA and European and overseas space industry representatives, including the ESA SME Unit. It is in line with development in other ESA member states and is seen as an important step towards the integration of the Czech Republic into ESA structures and procedures.
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