Today, on 25 June 2025, the government approved amendments proposed by the Ministry of Education and Science (MES), providing an additional investment of 4.9 million euros in European Space Agency (ESA) programmes. This funding will support the development of Latvia’s science and high technology sectors, promote the participation of companies and research institutions in international projects, and deliver tangible economic benefits. At the same time, it will strengthen innovation potential and international cooperation, both of which are essential for ensuring Latvia’s competitiveness and security. Including national budget co-financing, Latvia’s total contribution in 2026 will reach six million euros.
Since the summer of 2020, when Latvia became an Associate Member State of the European Space Agency (ESA), significant progress has been made – over 120 projects have already been implemented, with a total value of €22.6 million. These projects have involved 34 Latvian organisations, including companies, scientific institutions, and universities. At the end of 2024, Latvia joined the ESA Business Incubation Centre (BIC) network, opening up new opportunities for startups to develop space technology solutions with international potential.
State Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Science, Jānis Paiders, notes: “Space infrastructure is a key prerequisite for the development, defence, and security of a modern state, as well as its competitiveness. Close cooperation between EU Member States – including Latvia – and the European Space Agency is of strategic importance in shaping a common long-term vision and strengthening our capabilities for the future.”
Latvia’s participation in ESA is also a strategic investment in strengthening national defence and security. Space technologies are becoming a critical element of modern security infrastructure, offering vast potential in both military and civil defence applications. In the context of today’s security challenges, space is becoming an increasingly vital part of national critical infrastructure. The EU is working with several space systems, including:
Earth observation intelligence with very high resolution and frequent revisit, independent of weather conditions;
Secure satellite communications that go beyond the capabilities of commercial systems;
Precise positioning and time synchronisation that are resilient to interference and spoofing.
Latvia’s cooperation with ESA covers new technologies, practical applications of space data, and educational and scientific activities. These technologies play a crucial role in the functioning of civil protection, transport, energy, and infrastructure management systems, and Latvia is developing them in close partnership with ESA and EU partners.
Latvian companies and research institutions are actively participating in high value-added international space projects. For instance, one Latvian company is contributing to the globally significant NASA and ESA joint project “Lunar Gateway,” developing an innovative xenon refuelling compressor and thermal management system – both currently without equivalent anywhere in the world.
Meanwhile, Ventspils University of Applied Sciences, together with its science-driven spin-off VIRATEC, is working on technologies that will enable Latvia to become part of the global deep space antenna network. This infrastructure will provide communications, tracking, and telemetry services for lunar, deep space, and defence missions. Revenues from these services are expected to reach €3–4 million annually.
At the same time, Latvia is developing practical nationwide services in cooperation with ESA, based on satellite data. These services deliver direct benefits to public administration, businesses, and citizens. Activities include, for example: mineral resource monitoring (State Environmental Service), lake water quality assessment (Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre), crop development analysis (Rural Support Service), monitoring of illegal construction (State Construction Control Bureau), vegetation change tracking near power lines (Sadales tīkls), and publishing space data in the cloud (Latvian Farmers' Parliament), among others.
At the Baltic level, harmonised solutions are being developed for the monitoring of forests, agriculture, water quality, and infrastructure, supporting efficient and sustainable decision-making in the public sector.
According to a study by Oxford Economics (Oxford Economics pētījumu), Latvia’s investments in ESA programmes to date have already contributed around €7.9 million to GDP and supported the equivalent of approximately 140 full-time jobs over one year.
With the amendments adopted on 25 June 2025 to Cabinet Regulation No. 810 of 19 December 2023 "Eiropas Savienības kohēzijas politikas programmas 2021.–2027. gadam 1.1.1. specifiskā atbalsta mērķa "Pētniecības un inovāciju kapacitātes stiprināšana un progresīvu tehnoloģiju ieviešana kopējā P&A sistēmā" 1.1.1.5. pasākuma "Latvijas pilnvērtīga dalība Apvārsnis Eiropa programmā, tajā skaitā nodrošinot kompleksu atbalsta instrumentu klāstu un sasaisti ar RIS3 specializācijas jomu attīstīšanu" pirmās un otrās projektu iesniegumu atlases kārtas īstenošanas noteikumi" can be accessed on the website.
