On 8 November, the long-awaited student space conference “10 years for space” took place at the Polish Aviation Museum, organised by the AGH Space Systems student research group on the occasion of its 10th anniversary. This unique event was aimed at all space enthusiasts – students and experts summarised the last decade in the space sector and shared their vision of its future.
The event was broadcast live on the YouTube platform. Link to the broadcast.
The conference took place in the conference hall of the Museum’s Main Building from 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM. As the host of the venue, Tomasz Kosecki, Director of the Polish Aviation Museum, opened the event, reminding everyone that we are on the grounds of the first airport in independent Poland, and addressed the students with the following words:
Ladies and Gentlemen, wishing you many more years of success and many more anniversaries, I would like you, as you explore space, to also discover yourselves and the meaning of our existence.
Maciej Myśliwiec, head of Space Agency, a specialist in communication, PR and marketing in the technology and space sectors. For nearly 20 years, he has supported companies and non-governmental organisations in building communication strategies and communities. His work to bridge the worlds of science and business, as well as supporting the careers of STEM students, makes him a key advisor for the space industry.
Dr Tomasz Barciński, an expert in automation and robotics, associated with the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences (CBK PAN), has been conducting research on key space missions for years. As head of the Satellite Mechatronics and Robotics Laboratory, he has worked on, among others, the European ATHENA telescope, the ESA ClearSpace space debris removal project, the ESA ExoMars Mars lander, the GLOWS photometer for the NASA IMAP mission, and the plasma research instrument for the ESA Comet Interceptor mission. On behalf of CBK PAN, he was responsible for attitude control algorithms for the Eagle Eye satellite. His extensive experience and numerous scientific publications represent an invaluable contribution to the development of space technologies.
Dr Agata Kołodziejczyk, a neuroscience PhD holder, former ESA employee, owner of AATC, and initiator of four analogue habitats in Poland, actively supports the development of space technologies in polar regions. She has organised nearly 100 analogue missions, including one with the largest number of participants in the world. She is currently an assistant professor at the AGH Space Technology Centre and a visiting professor at ESTACA in France.
Dr Eng. Marcin Kaczmarzyk, a research and teaching assistant professor at the Department of General Construction at the Rzeszów University of Technology. He obtained his Master of Engineering degree and Doctor of Technical Sciences degree in civil engineering at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Architecture of the Rzeszów University of Technology. He is also a graduate of Physics and English Philology at the University of Rzeszów. Since 2006, he has been actively involved in the Polish Meteorite Society. He participated in two simulated space missions: IcaRES-1 (Lunares habitat, 2017) and Colony-1 (Analog Astronaut Training Center, 2024). His scientific work focuses on the energy aspects of crewed lunar base operations and the use of natural lunar resources for construction purposes.
Bartosz Paszcza – serves as a space product analyst at Creotech Instruments. In the past, he analysed business data and technology policies while working at the Jagiellonian Club think tank. He is the host of the podcast “Paszczą o technologiach” (“Talking Tech”). He also had the opportunity to study the internet at the Web Science Institute at the University of Southampton. He is co-founder of the Polonium Foundation, an organisation connecting Polish scientists abroad.
Kinga Gruszecka – has been involved in the development of the Polish space sector for over eight years. She began her career at PARP (Polish Agency for Enterprise Development), then worked at ZPSK, and for six years held various positions at the Polish Space Agency, including directorial ones. She currently works on space business development at CGI Polska. Since December 2022, she has also served as president of the Association of Polish Space Professionals. Kinga devotes her free time to developing the association, mentoring, and raising awareness about the importance of space technology development. In 2020, her work was recognised with the title of Hope of the Space Sector, and in 2023 she received the prestigious U.S. Department of State Distinguished Humphrey Fellowship Leadership Program scholarship.
Adam Zagrajek and Jan Brzyk are former leaders of the AGH Space Systems rover section and co-founders of CleverHive Space, a company developing software for controlling next-generation lunar rovers. They are currently jointly pursuing their interest in space robotics in the commercial world.
Adam is the CEO of CleverHive Space and has experience as a Data Scientist. He completed an engineering internship at the European Space Agency, where he worked on applying artificial intelligence to market analysis in the European satellite communications industry. He is also a member of PSPA and co-organiser of the Cars4Mars African Rover Challenge.
Jan is the Chief Growth Officer at CleverHive Space, a member of PSPA, and a local coordinator of the European Rover Challenge at the AGH Space Technology Centre in Kraków. He has experience as a ROS programmer and Project Manager of a team developing mobile robot programming.
Daniel Płudowski presented participants with practical strategies for building a career in the space sector and the opportunities offered by this dynamically developing market. Daniel is a recruitment expert for the space industry, supporting both young talents and experienced professionals, helping them establish cooperation with organisations seeking qualified candidates. He is the founder of JoinThe.Space – a platform dedicated to the space sector, bringing together over 120 student organisations from 25 countries. The aim of this initiative is to develop human resources in the space sector and support the personal development of its members.
