For the University of Debrecen, space research has been a top priority for a number of years, and DE-SPACE, one of the most significant projects of the Thematic Excellence Program, is also related to this effort.
“The studies and tests cover, among other things, areas with potential applications in the space industry, such as space telemedicine, space agriculture, space pharmacy and space food. For example, comparative analyses of different varieties of space peppers are currently underway. The Debrecen research groups are also involved in analyzing the effects of cosmic rays and micro-gravity on astronauts as well as the conditions and consequences of long-term stays in space and the processing of Earth observation data from space,” said László Csernoch, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, to representatives of the company Thales Alenia Space at Thursday's meeting.
Upon the initiative of the Faculty of Science and Technology and in recognition of the achievements of the University of Debrecen in the field of space research, Thales Alenia Space, a company that is at the vanguard of space industry in the world, intends to identify potential areas of future professional cooperation. This is the reason why leading experts from France and Italy came to Debrecen.
“We have heard quite a lot about research conducted at the university that corresponds to our company's interests and development profile. Based on these bits and pieces of information, we are currently looking for the most advantageous and mutually beneficial areas for both parties eligible for future cooperation together with the experts of the University of Debrecen. This time, we have visited the institution primarily because of the opportunity to work together on protection from radiation. This is a very important area for manned spaceflight nowadays, but we also need to know what happens to the electronic units of a spacecraft if they become exposed to radiation and how to prevent damage and guarantee reliable operation in space for a long time. This could be one of the chief areas of our future cooperation, involving even joint design and production activities," said the European Cooperation Director of Thales Alenia Space to hirek.unideb.hu.
In addition, Freddie Geyer also praised the plans of the Faculty of Science and Technology to establish optical space-ground communication capability in Debrecen.
Press Center - CzA
