Switzerland becomes transatlantic hub for Space Florida

(CONNECT) The Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich becomes the European center for Space Florida, the space agency of the US state of Florida. The Center for Space and Aviation Switzerland and Liechtenstein (CSA) and the Zurich Innovation Park Foundation have signed a letter of intent to this effect with Space Florida.

According to a press release from the CSA, the aim is to establish transatlantic cooperation between the Swiss/Liechenstein and Florida space ecosystems. Switzerland is to serve as a hub and the Switzerland Innovation Park Zurich at the airfield in Dübendorf as a location for promoting trade, research and innovation.

The collaboration will reportedly focus on biotechnology, biomedicine, robotics, artificial intelligence, data and material sciences. The partners also grant each other access to infrastructure, services, knowledge and test facilities. In addition, cross-border activities are to be facilitated.

According to the CSA, the Dübendorf airfield offers a unique infrastructure: an active airfield with existing research and parabolic flights and an innovation park with direct access to the airfield. The space and aviation expertise of Swiss universities bundled in the CSA was also a decisive factor.

“The establishment of a European Space Hub requires highly qualified talents and junior staff from various disciplines and universities,” says Prof. Elisabeth Stark, member of the CSA Foundation Board and Vice-Rector for Research at the University of Zurich. “We offer Space Florida precisely this match-deciding access via the various academic CSA partners.” ce/mm