Polish Space Agency (POLSA)

The Polish Space Agency (POLSA - Polska Agencja Kosmiczna) was established by the Act of September 26, 2014, functioning as an executive agency under the Polish Ministry of Economic Development and Technology. POLSA was created to consolidate and accelerate Poland's space sector development, building upon the country's European Space Agency membership achieved in 2012. The agency manages Poland's participation in ESA programs and coordinates national space initiatives to support Polish industry, security, and scientific research. Headquartered in Gdansk with local branches in Warsaw and Rzeszow, POLSA operates with substantial funding including a €295 million increase in Poland's ESA contribution between 2023-2025. ESA allocated €200 million for Poland's work in this period, complemented by €360 million from the Ministry of Development and Technology for ESA initiatives, totaling approximately €40 million annually. In 2018, POLSA announced plans to invest 1.43 billion złoty over eight years as part of the "National Space Program" project. The agency's mission prioritizes providing security for the state and citizens while increasing defense capabilities through satellite systems. POLSA has achieved significant milestones including Poland's selection to host the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2027 in Poznań, joining the Artemis Accords in October 2021 (becoming the 13th signatory nation), and participation in ESA's Space Situational Awareness Programme (joined April 2023). The agency supports an emerging Polish space industry working on the PIAST Earth observation nanosatellite constellation and has enabled Poland's first astronaut mission with Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski's launch in June 2025.