Weekly Space Report 

New President of the Polish space Agency appointed

On April 29 Dr. Marta Ewa Wachowicz was officially appointed as the President of the Polish Space Agency (POLSA) by Poland’s Minister of Development and Technology, Krzysztof Paszyk. After the dismissal of former president Grzegorz Wrochna in March, who was a president during a series of operational challenges, including a mismanaged alert regarding a Falcon 9 rocket stage re-entry and a cybersecurity incident that temporarily disrupted POLSA’s systems.

Dr. Wachowicz brings extensive experience in space science and administration. She holds a PhD in space physics from the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences (CBK PAN). Between 2015 and 2018, she led the POLSA’s Department of Strategy and International Cooperation, focusing on integrating Polish space-sector companies into the European market and fostering international partnerships. In addition to her scientific credentials, Dr. Wachowicz has held roles in public administration, academia, and the private sector. Her education includes postgraduate studies in science management and an internship at Stanford University.

As the new head of POLSA, Dr. Wachowicz will oversee key initiatives, including Poland’s first crewed mission to the International Space Station, scheduled for May 29, 2025, featuring astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski. Her leadership is expected to enhance the agency’s strategic direction and reinforce Poland’s role in international space exploration.

India demonstrates in-orbit satellite power transfer

India has achieved a significant milestone in space technology with the successful demonstration of in-orbit satellite-to-satellite power transfer by its SpaDeX mission. Launched by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on April 21. The mission involved two small satellites performing autonomous docking and transfer of electrical power. Once docked, the primary satellite successfully transferred energy to the secondary unit, proving ISRO’s capability in developing and managing satellite systems that can collaborate in space. This achievement places India at the forefront of emerging space servicing technologies, opening doors for future commercial and interplanetary missions that require modular spacecraft or cooperative systems.

Ultra-Precise Atomic Clocks on the ISS

On April 21, 2025, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Four days later, the ACES payload was successfully installed on the Earth-facing side of the Columbus laboratory module of the International Space Station (ISS) using the station’s robotic arm. ACES houses two of the most accurate atomic clocks ever deployed in space: PHARAO, a laser-cooled cesium clock developed by France’s CNES, and the Space Hydrogen Maser (SHM), built by Switzerland’s Safran Time Technologies. Together, these instruments are designed to keep time so precisely that they would lose or gain only one second over 300 million years.

The mission aims to test fundamental physics theories, including Einstein’s general relativity, by comparing time measurements between the space-based clocks and those on Earth. Additionally, ACES will enhance global time synchronization, benefiting technologies such as GPS, telecommunications, and Earth observation. Over its planned 30-month operational period, ACES will conduct ten 25-day sessions of data collection. The results will be made available to researchers worldwide, potentially leading to breakthroughs in our understanding of time and space.

China Launches Shenzhou 20 Mission to Tiangong Space Station

On April 24, 2025, China successfully launched the Shenzhou 20 mission, sending three astronauts aboard a Long March 2F rocket to its Tiangong space station for a six-month stay. The crew comprises veteran astronaut Chen Dong, on his third spaceflight, and first-time astronauts Chen Zhongrui and Wang Jie. The new crew replaced the Shenzhou 19 astronauts, who returned to Earth on April 30 after a six-month mission. Astronauts will conduct scientific experiments in physics and life sciences, perform spacewalks, and install equipment to enhance the station’s protection against space debris. As China continues to expand its presence in space, the Shenzhou 20 mission represents a significant step toward achieving its ambitious goals in space exploration and international cooperation.