International space body highlights Azerbaijan’s rising role in space science

Azerbaijan is demonstrating strong interest and growing activity in the development of its space industry, said Christian Feichtinger, Executive Director of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).

“Azerbaijan shows high activity in the space sector, and in my view, this has been made possible largely thanks to the hosting of the International Astronautical Congress in Baku in 2023,” Feichtinger said in an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

He emphasized that the IAF continues close cooperation with Azerbaijan with the aim of further integrating the country into the global space community.

“We hope that in the future we can return to Baku to further integrate Azerbaijan into the global space community,” he said.

Feichtinger also highlighted Azerbaijan’s efforts to encourage young people to engage with the space sector.

“Young people are beginning to take an interest in space, and this is extremely important for us. We highly appreciate Azerbaijan’s efforts in this direction. In terms of specific projects or initiatives, an academy has been established in Azerbaijan that attracts young people and develops interest in STEM education. Students actively present their work to the international space community,” he said.

The IAF chief added that these developments represent an important step toward deeper integration into the global space community and the strengthening of Azerbaijan’s position in the sector.

By Vafa Guliyeva