Poland is establishing an increasingly strong presence in the space sector. Growing involvement in European Space Agency programmes and expanding international cooperation are creating new opportunities for the industry. However, the development of technical expertise and a skilled workforce remain major challenges. According to Polish astronaut Dr Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, the planned establishment of an ESA Technology Centre in Poland could provide an important boost to the sector.
“The space market is currently relatively well funded because more financial instruments are available. Poland’s commitment to the European Space Agency, which develops Europe’s space technologies, is significantly greater than it used to be. There is still considerable potential for further growth. We now need to use the funds allocated for development effectively so that we can scale up our ambitions in the future,” Dr Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, a Polish astronaut and participant in the IGNIS mission, told the Newseria news agency.
In November 2025, Poland announced that it would increase its contribution to ESA by €250 million between 2026 and 2028, bringing the total to €731 million. Nearly €550 million of this amount is expected to be allocated to optional programmes.
According to the National Centre for Research and Development’s report Space Perspectives, Polish organisations participated in nearly 700 space projects with a combined value exceeding €320 million between 2012, when Poland joined ESA, and 2025.
The Industrial Development Agency’s report The Polish Space Sector 2025 estimates the value of Poland’s space industry at approximately PLN 5.3 billion under a narrow definition covering organisations directly involved in space technologies. Under a broader definition, which also includes companies and institutions processing and using satellite data, the sector is estimated to be worth PLN 12 billion.
Shortage of Technical Expertise Is Limiting Growth
“What the market currently lacks most is technical expertise and skilled personnel. For companies to grow, they need experienced and competent people who can develop space technologies,” the Polish astronaut said.
“I see enormous importance in the future presence of the European Space Agency in Poland. It could help build technological experience among local specialists through cooperation on major pan-European programmes.”
In November 2025, Poland and ESA signed a letter of intent concerning the establishment of an ESA Technology Centre in the country. A decision on the city in which it will be located is expected in mid-July.
The centre is expected to focus on areas including Earth observation, satellite data analysis and the development of space technologies used in civil security and crisis management.
It is also expected to participate in major pan-European programmes, providing access to some of the most advanced technologies in the sector. Polish engineers and scientists will be able to work on ESA projects in Poland instead of having to move abroad.
“The establishment of a European Space Agency Technology Centre in Poland — for the first time in a Central and Eastern European country that was not among ESA’s founding members — demonstrates the importance of our market and its growth potential,” Dr Uznański-Wiśniewski said.
“We can use this opportunity to become a regional leader, while also training our workforce and developing technological solutions that can later be commercialised by the private sector in the European market.”
Poland’s Scientific Potential Is Growing
The National Centre for Research and Development report indicates that Poland has a growing scientific potential in the field of space technologies.
Around 50 scientific and higher-education institutions are involved in space-related research on a relatively regular basis, while a further 30 participate occasionally through individual research projects.
In addition, approximately 27,000 students are enrolled in degree programmes relevant to the development of a future workforce for the space sector.
According to the Polish astronaut, education will be particularly important for the future development of the industry.
“This leads to another important issue: how to encourage the most talented, capable and motivated people to remain in Poland’s technology sector and develop space technologies here,” he explained.
“Programmes that drive the development of the most innovative products can certainly help. These are primarily exploration programmes, which allow us to dream and provide an enormous source of inspiration.”
Polish Companies Could Contribute to Lunar Infrastructure
Dr Uznański-Wiśniewski identified several technological areas on which Polish companies could focus as part of space exploration programmes.
“What we are seeing in NASA’s lunar base programme announced in March, as well as in the Artemis programme, is an enormous need to build infrastructure capable of supporting a permanent human presence on the Moon,” he said.
“This includes nuclear, thermal and electrical energy on the Moon, new types of solar panels, and systems enabling autonomous movement across unknown lunar terrain using unmanned or crewed lunar rovers. It also includes the development of life-support systems.”
He stressed that solutions enabling safe landings on the Moon and the protection of operational areas would be equally important.
“The construction of navigation, observation and telecommunications constellations directly in lunar orbit will be necessary to provide part of the operational connection with the Earth-based ecosystem,” the astronaut said.
IGNIS Demonstrated Poland’s Growing Space Capabilities
One example of the growing ambitions and capabilities of Poland’s space sector was the IGNIS mission, the first Polish scientific and technological mission to the International Space Station.
As part of the project, Dr Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski conducted 13 experiments prepared by Polish scientific institutions and companies.
“The research teams will continue their work over the coming months and years,” he said.
“I also remain a research subject, particularly in relation to the medical studies I conducted while in orbit. I am looking forward to the publication of the results.”
One of the projects was the EEG Neurofeedback experiment developed by the Gdańsk University of Physical Education and Sport.
Neurofeedback is a brain-training technique that helps individuals learn to regulate their mental states using real-time information about their brain activity.
According to the researchers behind the project, the initial results suggest that the neurofeedback intervention may have contributed to a 25% reduction in cellular inflammation, a 30% decrease in perceived stress, improved cognitive performance and measurable changes in the body’s neurophysiological response.
Polish Research Teams Expand International Cooperation
“The mission has enabled many research teams to establish extensive international cooperation,” Dr Uznański-Wiśniewski said.
“One example is the Space Volcanic Algae experiment developed by Wrocław-based Extremo Technologies. Two experiments have been selected for further research during a Czech space mission, which will most likely take place in 2027.”
Space Volcanic Algae is a biotechnology experiment examining the potential use of red microalgae originating from volcanic environments under space conditions.
These algae, known for surviving in extreme environments on Earth, could potentially form the basis of future life-support systems for long-duration space missions.
Understanding how they behave in space will help researchers determine whether they could produce oxygen, absorb carbon dioxide and generate useful substances, thereby supporting crews travelling to the Moon or Mars.
Polish Systems Continue Operating on the ISS
“Some of the systems that I had the honour of installing on the space station, including radiation dosimetry and noise dosimetry equipment, are still there,” the IGNIS mission participant said.
“I hope the radiation dosimetry system will continue measuring radiation until the end of the station’s operational life. We also observed the noise dosimetry system developed by Warsaw-based Svantek during the crewed lunar flight in April.”
The Sigma Labs Scalable Radiation Monitor is an experiment that measures radiation conditions on the International Space Station inside the European Columbus module.
It also examines how cosmic radiation affects the proper functioning of integrated circuits, which are essential components of all electronic equipment.
The Svantek Wireless Acoustics experiment conducted as part of the IGNIS mission was designed to develop a wireless system for the continuous monitoring of noise levels aboard the ISS and astronauts’ personal exposure to noise.
Such measurements are important for maintaining a safe and comfortable working environment in space. Prolonged noise exposure can negatively affect astronauts’ wellbeing, concentration and performance.
Poland’s increasing financial commitment to ESA, combined with stronger international cooperation and the experience gained through the IGNIS mission, is creating new opportunities for the domestic space industry. However, its ability to make full use of this potential will depend largely on investment in education, technical expertise and the development of a highly skilled workforce.
