Super day at the Infotér Conference in Balatonfüred!

We had the opportunity to listen to the presentations of Dr. Orsolya Ferencz, Ministerial Commissioner for Space Research, and Gábor Magyari, Head of Flight Operations and Training of the Hungarian HUNOR Hungarian Research Spacecraft Programme, member of the Hungarian delegation of the European Space Agency (ESA), and later on, we were asked by the speakers of our Foundation to answer questions such as how plant production is related to Space research, and why the presence of a rocket building team is important for a sustainable future.

We had the opportunity to listen to the presentations of Dr. Orsolya Ferencz, Ministerial Commissioner for Space Research, and Gábor Magyari, Head of Flight Operations and Training of the Hungarian HUNOR Hungarian Research Spacecraft Programme, member of the Hungarian delegation of the European Space Agency (ESA), and later on, we were asked by the speakers of our Foundation to answer questions such as how plant production is related to Space research, and why the presence of a rocket building team is important for a sustainable future.

Vertical farms enable plant production under controlled conditions, which our colleague Dr János Ádám, an expert on vertical farms, and Dávid Tamási, founding editor-in-chief of Spacejunkie, discussed in depth in a fireside chat. The discussion was about challenges, opportunities, future food issues and problems that the technology we presented could solve both on Earth and in Space.

During the day, the demonstration module of our research and development vertical farm, operated by Csillagváros Ltd., a company maintained by our Foundation, was open for viewing, and the conference participants gathered around it. The guests were able to see up close how a vertical farm works under the magic of light and water, touch and even taste the colonising plants, lettuces and microgreens that were discussed and which could be the key to sustainable food production in the future. In addition to the colonisation plant tasting, Anett Fenyőfalvi, President of the Foundation, told the visitors about the current work and future plans of the Foundation.

The rockets presented by the BME Suborbitals competition rocket team brought a tangible present of the space age to this event. The discussion, moderated by team captain Zoltán Hafner and Spacejunkie editor-in-chief Szabolcs Nagy, focused on the role of BME Suborbitals in the space industry, which plays an important role in training the space generation and developing national space sectors in Hungary and Europe. At the stand, anyone could see and touch the rockets, and even get in-depth information on mechanical, assembly and other details from Aurél Horváth, the team leader responsible for rocket construction.

During the evening, special guests were also honoured at the conference and at our offices. The four astronaut candidates of the HUNOR programme – Ádám Schlégl, Gyula Cserényi, Tibor Kapu and András Szakály – in an hour-long roundtable discussion on „why, how, what you wanted to be when you were young, what a day is now, what will happen if you go to the space station, what if you don’t; what will happen after space travel?” and many other interesting questions. Four of them will become Hungary’s second explorer astronaut, following Bertalan Farkas, who will be launched to the International Space Station at the end of 2024, but no later than the first quarter of 2025, and will spend 30 days there.

At the end of this year, the 4-person Team will be reduced to 2: the last 2 will receive final astronaut training in Houston, but as we have learned: the Team is the Team forever – both in space and on Earth. It was a great experience to meet Hungary’s 4 astronaut candidates – who even got to taste the plants of our vertical farm – to have a few words with them and to hear about the mysteries of preparation and space travel.

Last but not least, our Foundation also introduced its next big project: we’re keeping the details under wraps, but this is a hint – we’re about to launch: Moon, Mars expedition, STEAM sciences, education! The clear message of the event is that Space is always closer than we think and that the name couple of the day, DEFENSE & SPACE, go hand in hand. The event was not only about showcasing current scientific developments and projects, but also highlighted that Space research and Science are key to our future and the sustainability of our planet.

The Spacejunkie team will talk more about their presentations and personal experiences on 26.10.2023 in their show Express, we recommend them!