On May 6 to 7 this year, in Estonia was held a large-scale international space conference Space Downstream Services 2010, which was attended by representatives from the European Space Agency (ESA), as well as prominent personnel of the space industry. It is the first time when a large-scale conference on practical application of space technologies has been held in Baltic States.

The aim of the conference is to facilitate efficient discussions and propose to companies, scientists and representatives from the public sector novel ideas on using satellite technologies for development of high-quality services.

Dana Reizniece, member of the Latvian Space Policy Working Group, presented in the conference the commercial potential of Venta-1 and similar small satellites – they can be employed as a platform for demonstrating new space technologies.
In parallel with the official programme of the conference, the three space policy-markers from Baltic States agreed on creating a strategy for mutual cooperation in business development, whereas the construction team of the satellite Venta-1 had a meeting with the development engineers of the first Estonian satellite Estcube and they exchanged their practical work experience. The Estonian small satellite is being constructed by students from Tallinn and Tartu, and the space launch of this satellite is planned next year. In August, the both teams will participate in the summer school of satellite technologies, which will be arranged in Ventspils by Ventspils High Technology Park and Ventspils University College with help of competent foreign system-engineers.

The space conference in Tallinn is one of the means how Estonia facilitates involvement of its companies and research institutes in the international space community after signing the agreement with the European Space Agency on 2009 on becoming its associated member state. The Estonian space policy-makers are certain that the stage of development of Estonian entrepreneurs and technologies allows Estonia to create its own space industry. This year, already 35 applications in our neighbouring country have been submitted to the competition of the ESA.