Scientists and practitioners discuss developments in space industry at Belarusian Space Congress

Over a hundred presentations by scientists and specialists from Belarus, Russia, and China. The ninth Belarusian Space Congress continued its work in Minsk. Our country has created its own space industry (which unites several dozen enterprises and thousands of specialists) and advocates for further progress in this field. This should be further facilitated by the new space program, whose practical implementation will begin in 2026.

While space exploration remains an unattainable dream for many countries, Belarus has not only achieved its status as a space power but is strengthening it every year. These developments, developed by scientists in tandem with manufacturers, are being implemented. Participants in the breakout sessions discussed this today on the sidelines of the 9th Belarusian Space Congress. These topics range from artificial intelligence to the development of Earth remote sensing systems.

Space is ours! And, like any other high-tech industry, it requires the most advanced solutions, whether in photonics, rocketry, or geo-services.

Belarusian scientists have invested considerable effort in strengthening the industry's position in recent years. They are ready to explore areas where research previously seemed impossible. Artificial intelligence is already a reality in space.

AI has penetrated deeply into space research and is proving very successful, noted Leonid Kotkovsky, head of a laboratory at Belarusian State University. "It's a very powerful method for recognizing and classifying various objects," he said. "The only problem is that it needs to be thoroughly trained on a large volume of data beforehand. If this step is taken, it will be very effective, while conventional methods of object recognition and condition diagnostics are simply inferior to artificial intelligence."

In 2028, a large new spacecraft with unique characteristics is planned to be launched in collaboration with Russian colleagues. Next year, scientists are cautiously announcing the launch dates for two Belarusian spacecraft for ionospheric research. It influences many processes occurring on Earth. This is only the most visible part of what will be included in the new space program, expected in 2026. Currently, scientists continue to study the results of the experiments conducted in space by the Belarusian-Russian crew.

Today, these are unique exhibits and history for all of Belarus. Marina Vasilevskaya's spacesuit, in which she made her heroic flight into space, will be kept within the walls of the Academy of Sciences. It was donated by Roscosmos.

Some research from this flight was continued as part of the ground-based experiment "Sirius-23," which involved a 12-month isolation of a six-person crew in the ground complex of the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems. Belarusian Olga Mastitskaya was among the participants. The project concluded in November 2024. And as the saying goes, "everything has a 'year later.'"

Olga Mastitskaya, Junior Researcher at the Institute of Physical-Organic Chemistry of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus:

"A number of studies have been conducted by Belarusian scientists. All of them have been completed successfully. Certain conclusions can certainly be drawn. Generally speaking, we are getting closer to exploring the outer planets of space."

About 10 programs for the development of the space industry have already been implemented in our country. Science is finding practical application, opening up opportunities for various sectors of the economy through remote sensing of the Earth, or assessing the potential for finding certain minerals. This includes testing the quality of forest vegetation or agricultural crops. Clearly, the areas where space can and will be useful are limitless today.