ESA Technology Broker Czechia from Technology Centre Prague participated in the European Space Technology Harmonisation 2026 – Cycle 2 Kick-Off event on 5 February 2026. The kick-off introduced the Cycle 2 technology areas where ESA is gathering input and identifying capabilities across the European ecosystem through the Technology Harmonisation Dossiers (THDs) process—including contributions from companies outside the traditional space sector.

The Cycle 2 topics covered:

• On-Board Computers, Data Handling Systems and Microelectronics
• Radiation Environment and Effects
• Ground Station Technology
• Avionics Embedded Systems
• On-Board Software

As ESA Technology Broker Czechia, our role is to connect non-space companies with these ESA needs—helping them engage in the harmonisation process and contribute relevant solutions, know-how, and innovations to the THDs.

The Technology Center CAS was honored to host a round table with Rick Tumlinson, who is considered to be the biggest visionaire in the current space conquest. Together with representatives of  R&D and technology we had the opportunity to discuss business related to space technologies and Czech – American business cooperation opportunities. Apart from the business representatives, the government representatives were guests at the round table. 

Rick Tumlinson co-founded several enterprises focusing on space technology R&D, contributed to commercial policy establishment in the space industry (so called NewSpace industry), and was present at founding the International Space University in France. Despite having a broad range of activities, Rick currently dedicates most of his time to Deep Space Industries (DSI), a company he founded in 2013 in Silicon Valley. DSI researches space and mining technologies for the future mineral mining on asteroids. Czech company Metatron Global, a.s., was a participant of the round table as it is an investor of DSI.