Czech Army pilot and reserve astronaut Ales Svoboda is set to fly to the International Space Station (ISS), Prime Minister Andrej Babis (ANO) announced yesterday. He said the mission is scheduled for the second half of 2027, based on an agreement signed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the company Vast.
Deputy Prime Minister Karel Havlíček (ANO) said that the mission will cost CZK 2 billion. Part of the cost has already been covered by the Transport Ministry’s budget, and the rest will come from the Defence Ministry’s budget.
The agreement covers the implementation of a Czech orbital mission to the ISS, securing the role of mission pilot for the Czech Republic. Svoboda’s inclusion in the crew must still be approved by a panel of all five international ISS partners. If selected, Svoboda would be the first Czech astronaut to visit the space station. The first Czech cosmonaut, Vladimír Remek, flew to the Soviet Salyut 6 space station in 1978, representing the former Czechoslovakia.
Svoboda is set to join French ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who has been named commander for this mission. The mission is scheduled for 2027, with transportation provided by SpaceX using the Dragon spacecraft, which will be launched by a Falcon 9 rocket.
“It’s just a milestone, not a goal. We need to see it through. I have demanding training ahead of me and need to prepare with partner companies like SpaceX and NASA,” said 39-year-old Svoboda.
According to Svoboda, there are about 20 people in the world who have piloted the Dragon spacecraft, and only two in Europe. He said the role of pilot provides direct, cross-domain experience that is transferable to the Czech Air Force.
The agreement follows a memorandum of cooperation between the Czech Republic and Vast from November 2024.
Babis said that the mission marks a significant milestone for Czech space activities and for the entire country. He said that a country’s prosperity is increasingly determined by knowledge, innovation, science and technology.
“The ability to create new technologies and come up with bold solutions will determine our prosperity,” he said, adding that the Czech Republic has top-quality scientists, innovative companies and universities that are capable of holding their own among the global elite, and that conditions must be created for them to thrive.
“Investments in space activities are investments in the future of the entire country,” he said.
“This contract secures the role of mission pilot for the Czech Republic, which is one of the key positions on the entire crew,” said Defence Minister Jaromir Zuna (SPD). The pilot participates in the control and operations of the spacecraft, coordinates the crew’s activities, and ensures flight safety. In the coming months, Svoboda will undergo hundreds of hours of specialised training.
Between 2024 and 2026, Svoboda completed three phases of reserve astronaut training at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne. Based on the new agreement, he will now continue with specialised training.
The signing of the agreement is a milestone for the Czech Path to Space project, which is coordinated by the Czech Ministry of Industry and Trade in collaboration with the Defence Ministry. The project aims to combine the popularisation of science with the strengthening of the Czech space industry.
Martin Kupka, leader of the opposition Civic Democrats (ODS) and former Minister of Transport, praised the fact that the project is moving forward, as it would benefit both Czech science and society. “Every crown invested in space technologies and space exploration returns to the Czech Republic seven to eight times over,” he told reporters.
