Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced on Thursday in Budapest that the Hungarian space program will continue and become a key future resource for the economy. He emphasized that the government will make Hungary’s participation in international space research and technology programs permanent.

Speaking at a ceremony where experts of the HUNOR Hungarian Astronaut Program received state honors, FM Szijjártó called last month’s mission one of the most exciting in the nation’s history. “It was a truly great national objective to send a Hungarian to the International Space Station,” he said, adding that such ambitions show Hungary’s strength and unity.

The minister underlined that the mission proved Hungarians can exceed expectations in major endeavors. He argued that space technology is set to be among the most important and innovative industries globally, and Hungary aims to be among the winners of this transformation. “A successful space mission gives us an advantage in a competition whose significance is impossible to overestimate,” he remarked.

The minister stressed that the results, capabilities, and experience of the past seven years will be used to strengthen Hungary’s role in space research. “We will make the Hungarian space program continuous. We will ensure ongoing participation in international space research and technology initiatives,” he said.

The minister expressed hope that future missions would see more Hungarians join pioneers such as Bertalan Farkas and Tibor Kapu. He concluded that the space program will remain a central strategic tool for Hungary’s future economic competitiveness.