Hungarian Conservative

The HUNOR–Hungarian Astronaut Programme started its two-year training last March with a physician and three engineers in Hungary’s newly established professional astronaut corps. The goal of the HUNOR Hungarian Astronaut Programme is to send a Hungarian research astronaut to the International Space Station, to carry out primarily Hungarian-developed scientific experiments for nearly a month.

This initiative aims to enhance the scientific utilization of data from planetary exploration spacecraft like JUICE. A comprehensive overview of the experiment was recently published in the prestigious Space Science Reviews journal.

The ambitious space expedition will involve a Hungarian astronaut as part of a four-member international team, representing a collaborative effort between Hungary and its international partners. As per the contract with Axiom Space, the launch window is scheduled from October 2024 to the beginning of 2025.

Hungary is entering an age where the space economy holds significant importance. Thankfully, it is welcoming the new era with a solid and well-functioning foundation, consisting of numerous private companies ready to engage in space exploration, as indicated by the Hungarian Space Kaleidoscope report.

The swift growth of the space industry has already begun to impact smaller nations like Hungary, making it necessary for them to address the challenge effectively. In response to the industry’s rapid rise, the government released the country’s first space strategy document in 2021.

The development team at BME currently holds the record for the most successful PocketQube category satellite missions worldwide. BME has been involved in space research and space technology-related activities for decades, and the launch of MRC-100 into space represents another significant milestone in their endeavours.

The goal of the HUNOR Hungarian Astronaut Program is to send a Hungarian research astronaut to the International Space Station, where they will be carrying out primarily Hungarian-developed scientific experiments for nearly a month.

The remarkably ambitious project of the James Webb Telescope has demonstrated that the mission of exploration is something that can unite mankind.

We discussed trends in Hungarian and international space research with Dr Orsolya Ferencz, Ministerial Commissioner for Space Research.