{"id":60572,"date":"2026-10-13T15:02:55","date_gmt":"2026-10-13T14:02:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/?p=60572"},"modified":"2026-10-13T15:02:57","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T14:02:57","slug":"science-malta-and-esa-continue-to-strengthen-opportunities-in-the-space-sector-in-malta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/13\/science-malta-and-esa-continue-to-strengthen-opportunities-in-the-space-sector-in-malta\/","title":{"rendered":"Science Malta and ESA continue to strengthen opportunities in the space sector in Malta"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Science Malta, in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), organised the fifth Information Day on the Plan for European Cooperative States (PECS), in preparation for Malta&#8217;s fifth call for proposals, MT5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The activity, which took place at the Esplora Planetarium, brought together representatives from the private sector, the research community and various organisations interested in the opportunities being created in the space sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The information day provided prospective applicants with information and practical guidance on how to develop competitive proposals for submission to ESA, while they also had the opportunity to meet directly with representatives of the European Space Agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Minister for Justice, Research and Innovation Clifton Grima said that the Government will continue to work to ensure that Malta strengthens its capabilities in the space sector and creates more opportunities for Maltese researchers, businesses and organisations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;The space sector offers concrete opportunities for Maltese researchers, students and businesses to continue developing their knowledge and compete at a European level. Through collaboration with the European Space Agency and programmes such as PECS, we are building the necessary capacities to transform more local ideas and talent into research and innovation projects with real impact. Our commitment is to continue to open more doors so that Malta is an active participant in the European space ecosystem,&#8221; said Minister Grima.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> Science Malta CEO Silvio Scerri stressed the importance of creating more opportunities for Maltese organisations to be able to get directly involved in the European space sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Malta&#8217;s space ambitions depend on collaboration between the research community, the private sector and the expertise we have in our country. The PECS programme provides an important opportunity for Maltese organisations to transform their ideas and capabilities into projects with international potential. The MT5 call will continue to help local talent be in a position to exploit these opportunities,&#8221; said Scerri.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The event also featured the session <em>Space needs what you know \u2013 How terrestrial expertise can become space-relevant<\/em> , led by Dr Jennifer Ngo Anh from ESA. It focused on how knowledge, technologies and competencies developed in sectors not traditionally linked to the space industry can be adapted to applications and challenges in the space sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dr. Ngo Anh explained that an organization does not have to be already active in the space sector to be able to contribute in this field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;Expertise developed in sectors beyond the traditional space industry can help address real challenges in the space sector. ESA&#8217;s PECS programme creates this connection by offering an opportunity for organisations to take the knowledge they already have and explore how it can create value in the space sector,&#8221; said Dr Ngo Anh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the Information Day, ESA representatives provided further information on the MT5 call, shared experiences from previous calls and gave practical advice on how to strengthen proposals. Previous beneficiaries of the PECS programme also shared their experiences in implementing projects under this programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The activity ended with individual meetings between prospective applicants and ESA representatives, during which project ideas and their potential under the PECS programme could be discussed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By the first quarter of 2026, Malta had 12 operational contracts under PECS in areas such as Earth Observation, Telecommunications, General Technologies, Education and Science.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Through initiatives such as these, Science Malta is continuing to support the local community to strengthen its capabilities, develop new projects and exploit further opportunities within the European space ecosystem.<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div><p id=\"pvc_stats_60572\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"60572\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 48 6 76 34 21 21 34 44 34 59 0 14 -18 113 -40 219 -37 178 -43 195 -70 221 -36 32 -101 37 -139 11z\"\/><path d=\"M1163 3073 c-36 -7 -73 -59 -73 -102 0 -56 133 -378 171 -413 34 -32 83 -37 129 -13 70 36 67 87 -16 290 -86 209 -89 214 -129 231 -35 14 -42 15 -82 7z\"\/><path d=\"M3689 3066 c-15 -9 -33 -30 -42 -48 -48 -103 -147 -355 -147 -375 0 -98 131 -148 192 -74 13 15 57 108 97 206 80 196 84 226 37 273 -30 30 -99 39 -137 18z\"\/><path d=\"M583 2784 c-38 -19 -67 -74 -58 -113 9 -42 211 -354 242 -373 16 -10 45 -18 66 -18 51 0 107 52 107 100 0 39 -1 41 -124 234 -80 126 -108 162 -133 173 -41 17 -61 16 -100 -3z\"\/><path d=\"M4250 2784 c-14 -9 -74 -91 -133 -183 -95 -150 -107 -173 -107 -213 0 -55 33 -94 87 -104 67 -13 90 8 211 198 130 202 137 225 78 284 -27 27 -42 34 -72 34 -22 0 -50 -8 -64 -16z\"\/><path d=\"M2275 2693 c-553 -48 -1095 -270 -1585 -649 -135 -104 -459 -423 -483 -476 -23 -49 -22 -139 2 -186 73 -142 361 -457 571 -626 285 -228 642 -407 990 -497 242 -63 336 -73 660 -74 310 0 370 5 595 52 535 111 1045 392 1455 803 122 121 250 273 275 326 19 41 19 137 0 174 -41 79 -309 363 -465 492 -447 370 -946 591 -1479 653 -113 14 -422 18 -536 8z m395 -428 c171 -34 330 -124 456 -258 112 -119 167 -219 211 -378 27 -96 24 -300 -5 -401 -72 -255 -236 -447 -474 -557 -132 -62 -201 -76 -368 -76 -167 0 -236 14 -368 76 -213 98 -373 271 -451 485 -162 444 86 934 547 1084 153 49 292 57 452 25z m909 -232 c222 -123 408 -262 593 -441 76 -74 138 -139 138 -144 0 -16 -233 -242 -330 -319 -155 -123 -309 -223 -461 -299 l-81 -41 32 46 c18 26 49 83 70 128 143 306 141 649 -6 957 -25 52 -61 116 -79 142 l-34 47 45 -20 c26 -10 76 -36 113 -56z m-2057 25 c-40 -58 -105 -190 -130 -263 -110 -324 -59 -707 132 -981 25 -35 42 -64 37 -64 -19 0 -241 119 -326 174 -188 122 -406 314 -532 468 l-58 71 108 103 c185 178 428 349 672 473 66 33 121 60 123 61 2 0 -10 -19 -26 -42z\"\/><path d=\"M2375 1950 c-198 -44 -350 -190 -395 -379 -18 -76 -8 -221 19 -290 114 -284 457 -406 731 -260 98 52 188 154 231 260 27 69 37 214 19 290 -38 163 -166 304 -326 360 -67 23 -215 33 -279 19z\"\/><\/g><\/svg><\/i> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\" alt=\"Loading\" src=\"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/page-views-count\/ajax-loader-2x.gif\" border=0 \/><\/p><div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Science Malta, in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), organised the fifth Information Day on the Plan for European Cooperative States (PECS), in preparation for Malta&#8217;s fifth call for proposals, MT5. The activity, which took place at the Esplora Planetarium, brought together representatives from the private sector, the research community and various organisations interested [&hellip;]<\/p>\n<div class=\"pvc_clear\"><\/div>\n<p id=\"pvc_stats_60572\" class=\"pvc_stats all  \" data-element-id=\"60572\" style=\"\"><i class=\"pvc-stats-icon medium\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" version=\"1.0\" viewBox=\"0 0 502 315\" preserveAspectRatio=\"xMidYMid meet\"><g transform=\"translate(0,332) scale(0.1,-0.1)\" fill=\"\" stroke=\"none\"><path d=\"M2394 3279 l-29 -30 -3 -207 c-2 -182 0 -211 15 -242 39 -76 157 -76 196 0 15 31 17 60 15 243 l-3 209 -33 29 c-26 23 -41 29 -80 29 -41 0 -53 -5 -78 -31z\"\/><path d=\"M3085 3251 c-45 -19 -58 -50 -96 -229 -47 -217 -49 -260 -13 -295 52 -53 146 -42 177 20 16 31 87 366 87 410 0 70 -86 122 -155 94z\"\/><path d=\"M1751 3234 c-13 -9 -29 -31 -37 -50 -12 -29 -10 -49 21 -204 19 -94 39 -189 45 -210 14 -50 54 -80 110 -80 34 0 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Lynch","author_link":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/author\/bernardlynch\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Science Malta, in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), organised the fifth Information Day on the Plan for European Cooperative States (PECS), in preparation for Malta&#8217;s fifth call for proposals, MT5. The activity, which took place at the Esplora Planetarium, brought together representatives from the private sector, the research community and various organisations interested&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60572","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60572"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60572\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60574,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60572\/revisions\/60574"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/livenewsmalta.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}