The participation of a Czech astronaut on a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) is strongly supported by the Czech public. According to the latest Ipsos opinion poll commissioned by the Ministry of Transport, almost 70% of respondents believe it is important for the Czech Republic to actively support space missions and send its own astronaut into space. A similar number of Czechs also believe that this mission could inspire young people to study engineering and science. More than a thousand respondents answered.
18 December 2024 – After almost fifty years, a Czech astronaut is preparing for a trip to space. A few days ago, Army combat pilot Major Aleš Svoboda officially completed the first of three phases of the European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut reserve team training programme in Cologne, Germany. The seven-week training included, among other things, the basics of biology and physiology with an emphasis on the body's adaptation to weightlessness, winter survival training, training for outdoor ascents and media training. The next phase of ESA training awaits Svoboda in the second half of next year, with the final preparatory block in spring 2026. .
The long-term project "Czech Journey to Space" aims to contribute to the transformation of the Czech economy into an economy based on high added value activities through space activities and their further development. The government supported the project at its last meeting.