In recognition of its achievements in space research and education, the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) has been elected as a member of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the university announced on Tuesday. BME is one of the most prestigious higher education institutions in Hungary, with as many as four Nobel laureates having graduated from it.
According to the statement, the membership application was initiated by the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics at BME, and the IAF General Assembly approved it on 14 October at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan. As a result, BME students will be able to participate in space engineering competitions organized by the IAF, while space research educators can further strengthen their international ties.
Founded in 1951, the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) is the largest global organization in the field, uniting key players in space research and activities, including space agencies, space industry companies, research associations, museums with space exhibitions, and universities offering space education.
Currently, the IAF has 563 members from 80 countries, including NASA and the European Space Agency. BME becomes the third Hungarian member and the first Hungarian university to join, alongside the Hungarian Astronautical Society and Remred Technology Ltd.
The statement recalled that several research groups at BME are engaged in space-related activities. The university’s most recent small satellite, the MRC-100, was launched into Earth orbit on 12 June 2023, and its experts contributed to the European Space Agency’s Hera mission, a small asteroid exploration probe launched on 7 October 2023. Additionally, in 2022, BME launched a master’s programme in space engineering, with its first class graduating in June 2023.
The IAF operates numerous professional committees covering various aspects of space research and the space industry. László Bacsárdi, Associate Professor at the Department of Networked Systems and Services has been elected Vice-Chair of the Space Communications and Navigation Committee for a three-year term.
Related articles:
