ESA picks Warsaw for first centre beyond founding members, Poland doubles space spending

Warsaw selected for ESA's first centre outside founding members

The European Space Agency will open its first centre in a country that joined after the agency's 1975 founding, choosing Warsaw as the location. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher made the announcement on Monday during a conference at the Copernicus Science Centre, standing alongside Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The agency employs roughly 6,500 people and runs facilities across Europe, but until now all were located in the original signatory states.

Poland is the first of the new ESA members where such a centre will be established.

Prime Minister Tusk described the decision as a "very important day" for Warsaw and the country. He stressed that Poland is the first nation on the European Union's eastern flank to host an ESA facility.

A centre for dual-use technology and crisis management

The new centre will focus on dual-use technologies that serve both civilian and military purposes, as well as security and crisis management. Aschbacher said Poland has become a leader in defence investments and the space industry, and that the two sectors are deeply interlinked.

One cannot be done effectively without the other, and vice versa.

The centre is expected to work closely with Polish industry and universities, building on existing research in satellite data, Earth observation, and secure communications.

500 million PLN fund and doubling of space spending

Finance and Economy Minister Andrzej Domański announced that Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego and companies from the PFR group will soon launch a dedicated fund with assets reaching 500 million zlotys. The money will be invested in Polish space-sector companies. Domański also said BGK will offer a special financing line for local governments to develop space-related infrastructure in cities that sought the centre. The government has decided to double national spending on the space industry, and Tusk confirmed plans to build "the first Polish spacecraft" capable of servicing, refuelling, and transporting cargo between Earth and satellites.

Warsaw will be at the centre, but other cities will also benefit from this great programme.

According to the government, every euro invested in the space sector yields between six and seven euros in return for the broader economy.

Missed bids from other Polish cities

Several major cities had competed for the centre, including Kraków, Katowice, Wrocław, Łódź, Poznań, and Gdańsk. Wrocław's city hall congratulated the capital and said the bid itself strengthened cooperation among local universities, tech firms, and public institutions.

We accept the decision with respect. It is difficult to compete with the capital, especially because of the proximity of state agencies.

Gdańsk had gathered support from over 100 institutions and an honorary signature from former president Lech Wałęsa, arguing that its status as the seat of the Polish Space Agency made it a natural choice. The government promised that cities that participated in the selection will be included in a national network integrating space infrastructure and will receive support through the new financing instruments.

Poland's growing space ambitions

Aschbacher recalled the 2025 mission of Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, who flew to the International Space Station as a member of the Ax-4 crew. "Sławosz is my employee and an inspiration for many Poles and many companies," he said. The astronaut's flight, along with the expanding activities of domestic firms, is seen as a catalyst for building deeper space expertise in Poland. A recent report by the Industrial Development Agency concluded that Poland has the potential to become a regional space hub for Central and Eastern Europe within a decade. Aschbacher noted that Poland's successes in space are "also Europe's successes." The new centre in Warsaw will serve as a bridge between Polish entities and the broader European space programme.