The European Space Agency has selected Warsaw to host its newest centre, making the Polish capital the first city outside the agency's founding member states to house one of its flagship facilities.
The centre will specialise in space security, orbital and ground system resilience, and dual-use technologies, reinforcing Poland's growing role in Europe's space industry while expanding ESA's presence in Central and Eastern Europe.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the decision alongside Finance and Economy Minister Andrzej Domański and ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher during a press conference at Warsaw's Copernicus Science Centre.
The facility will develop technologies for both civilian and defence applications, reflecting Europe's growing emphasis on protecting critical space infrastructure, strengthening satellite resilience and responding to emerging security threats.
Its mission will extend beyond Poland, supporting capabilities that benefit ESA member states across Europe.
Founded in 1975, the European Space Agency coordinates Europe's civilian space programme through a network of specialist centres covering spacecraft engineering, mission control, Earth observation, astronaut training and scientific research.
The Warsaw facility will complement those centres by leading work on security and resilience technologies.
Warsaw will join an elite group of cities—including Paris, Noordwijk, Darmstadt, Cologne and Madrid—that host ESA's major centres, underscoring Poland's growing importance in Europe's space ecosystem.
Poland became a full ESA member in 2012, and securing one of the agency's flagship centres marks a significant milestone for the country's expanding space sector.
The move is also expected to strengthen Central and Eastern Europe's role in Europe's future space ambitions, particularly as security and defence become increasingly important drivers of space innovation. (PAP)
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