ESA BIC Estonia will fly you to space!

To become an astronaut, or an estonaut in the Estonian context, you have to set your goals early, make the right choices when developing your career and skills, and successfully go through a long application process. However, this is not the only way to get to space and write yourself into space history. Last year, the Golbriak Space optical terminal flew into orbit with the Vega mission, and Crystalspace’s extremely durable camera will soon be sent to the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis space program.

Since the ESTCube-1 satellite launched in 2013, Estonian technologies have entered space several more times with the support of the European Space Agency’s Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC Estonia). Golbriak Space’s optical satellite telecommunications technology turns satellites into a single network through which information can be transmitted at extremely high speeds, i.e. the internet of satellites. Crystalspace’s small, space-tolerant camera, which grew out of ESTCube-1, is essential for NASA’s Artemis mission members on Earth to be able to control a robotic hand that collects samples on the Moon’s surface.

The team joined ESA BIC Estonia to find ground-based uses for the camera, which was supported by the European Space Agency and the City of Tartu with 50,000 euros. Crystalspace’s camera has successfully passed tests to offer researchers the opportunity to better observe scientific experiments conducted in vacuum chambers. Until now, this was not possible because the existing technologies did not withstand the environmental influences in the chamber, such as a large temperature range.

According to Jaan Viru, co-founder and technology manager of Crystalspace, participation in the ESA BIC Estonia business incubator has helped bring the company into the orbit of the world space industry. “Crystalspace’s cameras are designed to withstand harsh conditions. This was also one of the reasons why we were now chosen to take part in the historic NASA-led Artemis mission. Our cameras are the first thing developed and manufactured in Estonia that flies to the moon. This is a very big step in the development of Estonian space technology, which shows that Estonia has become one of the most serious space countries. ”

“Estonian scientists and companies have been cooperating with the European Space Agency for more than ten years and have shown an excellent ability to develop innovative applications and services related to space technologies,” said Andrus Kurvits, Head of ESA BIC Estonia and Member of the Board of Tartu Science Park. Tartu Deputy Mayor Raimond Tamm specified: “Tartu has very good opportunities for developing and bringing space technologies to market, because the University of Tartu and Tartu Observatory have developed the Tartu Space Science and Technology Development Center and the ESA BIC Estonia business incubator enables innovative solutions to grow. In view of this great potential, the City of Tartu is co-financing a business incubator, which will support the success story of various space-based businesses. ”

According to Kadri Tammai, the head of Tehnopol Startup Incubator, sending an estonaut to space is of course an ambitious and correct goal, but in fact we are all connected to space on a daily basis, even through apps that use satellite data. “There are a lot of technologies that were originally developed for space, but now they are an integral part of our lives. We are looking for all those companies that want to make people’s lives more comfortable with the help of such technologies, ”added Tammai.

There are 4 places left in the Estonian Business Incubator of the European Space Agency. Both companies using space technologies and data as well as companies developing innovative space technologies, research teams are expected to apply for a grant of 50,000 euros. It is possible to join the world’s largest network of incubators until March 18. Submit an application: www.esabic.ee.