[Satellite News – 6-16-08] Czech space companies want to play a more of a role in the European space arena going forward. This is the message of Petr Bares, leader of the Czech Space Alliance, an alliance of a group of Czech space companies looking to gain more exposure and become more involved in European space projects.
    So, what can Czech companies bring to the table in terms of space projects? Bares says, “Generally, the companies have very high standards in terms of technology and quality. This has been proved in the two audits that have taken place by the European Space Agency (ESA). They have the enthusiasm of new members. We will have new activities, which will hopefully encourage people to focus on us. Also, while we are not a low cost country, we still have an edge in terms of certain costs and that, combined with high efficiency, can translate into cost-effective contributions. In terms of technology, there are for instance some very good software and electronics companies.”
    The main issue seems to be exposing the capabilities of these companies to a wider audience. And that is where the Alliance comes in, as it goes around promoting the benefits of working with some of these companies.

Cost Advantages

However, while the companies could bring cost advantages to certain projects, there are still political obstacles, which are standing in the way. In particular, Bares believes the role of the Czech Ministry of Education may need to change. “The issue is more the Czech Space Office (CSO), a private non-profit company which controls ESA access in the name of the Ministry of Education, rather than the Ministry itself,” says Bares. “The CSO has some potential conflicts of interest but this is not yet fully perceived by some of our representatives. There are still some hurdles to cross. Clearly, the activity settled in one particular area, basically pure science, and some do not like to see a change. It is necessary however, as we are moving from scientific co-operation with ESA to full membership which is about industrial development and competitive participation. We do have excellent support from our government in terms of funding the ESA membership and general appreciation of the strategic importance of space participation. But things for companies will not improve enough unless the political questions of ESA representation are solved in the interest of all concerned.”
    However, Bares is optimistic that these problems can be solved although he admits progress “has not been as quick” as he had hoped for.
    The Czech Republic has a population of just under 11 million people, and its space heritage saw its  companies and engineers work with Russia on its space capabilities in the second half of the 20th century. Out of all the emerging Eastern European countries, Bares believes the Czech Republic is in a good position. He says, “We certainly feel that we are further ahead than some of the other countries in a similar position. We expect to become full member of ESA in January. That is not to say that the other countries do not have similar capabilities, but at the moment, they do not appear to be as advanced as us on the road to ESA membership.”

‘The Return’

Bares recently gave a presentation at the MilSpace show in Paris which aimed to highlight ‘the return’ of the Czech Republic to the space arena. It seems only now, a decade after the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, that the space industry in the country is beginning to pick up. “Yes, we had a lull in the 1990s. Most of the industry had previously been state driven and based on working with Russia,” says Bares. “When we became an independent country, all these relationships with Russia ended and while there was a continuation of the national program until 1996, it was very low key, and only a very small fraction of what was being done with Russia. During the 1990s, the large state companies were disintegrated, bought out, or changed orientation. There was a kind of pause, but now we are picking things up again.”
    The Alliance already has 14 companies as members and according to Bares, “a number of other companies” want to also join the Alliance. Bares believes young space companies would be well-served to become part of the Alliance. He commented, “We expect to become bigger as more companies become aware of the space opportunities. To be quite frank, they will get more pragmatic information from us than from our State representation. Companies can go alone, but it is easier to be part of the Alliance, as we put together information for all of the members and try to help with specific issues. If there is a conference, one of us goes, and then shares the information back. We share the resources in terms of marketing and information dissemination.”

Opportunities

The Alliance is set for a busy 12 months as it aims to put Czech space companies well and truly on the map in Europe and beyond. “We are not going to build large satellites or have our own mega projects. But we have some very competitive skills, which need to be transferred to the space field. I think we are also very internationally orientated, so we are interested in looking at opportunities outside of Europe. We have had negotiations with Brazil, Chile and Japan. I am sure we can continue this in some niche areas. In 12 months time, I would like for us to be using the full ESA contribution, which is six million euros ($9.23 million), rather than the one million euros ($1.54 million) per year until recently. This is a big leap. I would also like to be able to say, that space activities in the Czech Republic are not concentrated under one Ministry. I hope all the other relevant ministries will be involved – the Ministry of Industry, Transport Ministry and perhaps one or two others. There are enough opportunities and benefits for all,” noted Bares.