The ministry said Polish entities secured 153 ESA contracts valued at about EUR 87 million in 2024 alone, reflecting Warsaw’s decision to raise its financial stake in the agency.
Poland quadrupled its ESA subscription for 2025 to a record EUR 193.4 million – including €159.7 million in optional programs – after pledging an extra €360 million for 2023-2025 at the 2022 ministerial council.
“A higher contribution translates into more work for Polish industry and opens the door to strategic ESA projects,” the ministry said in a statement.
Ignis mission set for June 10
The flagship item in the package is the €65 million IGNIS technology-science mission, scheduled to launch to the International Space Station on 10 June with Polish ESA astronaut Sławosz Uznański in a four-person crew. The flight will test hardware from domestic firms and run educational experiments for schools.
Other big-ticket commitments include €85 million for CAMILA, a planned Earth-observation satellite constellation; €7 million for an ESA program that lifts the technological readiness of Polish suppliers; and €3 million for graduate traineeships at the agency.
Strategy shift
Officials said Poland’s beefed-up stake had moved it into the same contribution bracket as Belgium, Spain and Switzerland, bolstering its influence over ESA policy and procurement.
The drive forms part of a national space strategy adopted in 2017 and now undergoing a positive mid-term review by the Polish Space Agency (POLSA).
Forthcoming goals include shifting from supplying individual components to building satellite subsystems, expanding access to Earth-observation data for government users and drafting the country’s first space-activities law, published for consultation in May.
(jh)
Source: PAP, ESF, Trade.gov.pl,