SLOVAK
SPACEFLIGHT
Ivan Bella: Slovakia’s Space Pioneer
After gaining independence in 1993, Slovakia marked a significant milestone in 1999 with the flight of its first astronaut, Slovak fighter pilot Ivan Bella. Through the Russo-Slovak agreement, Bella’s mission to the Mir space station made him the first Slovak in space. Notably, he was also one of the first astronauts to have their blood drawn in space for scientific research.
His mission had several key scientific objectives:
- Studying the effects of insulin and glucose intake to understand homeostatic regulation of sugar in microgravity.
- Assessing mental arithmetic to examine how humans react to stress in a microgravity environment.
- Investigating the asymmetry of the sensory system caused by microgravity.
- Measuring radiation levels in various parts of the space station.
- Observing the development of Japanese quails—a mid-sized bird—to evaluate the risks of spaceflight on sustaining life.
Joining the European Space Agency
In 2016, Slovakia signed the European Cooperating State Agreement, marking its growing involvement in space activities. Six years later, in 2022, Slovakia further solidified its commitment to space exploration by becoming an associated member state of the European Space Agency (ESA).
Joining the European Space Agency
In 2016, Slovakia signed the European Cooperating State Agreement, marking its growing involvement in space activities. Six years later, in 2022, Slovakia further solidified its commitment to space exploration by becoming an associated member state of the European Space Agency (ESA).