site.btaSofia Space Institute Marks International Space Day with Open House

The Institute of Space Research and Technology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Sofia held an Open House to mark the International Day of Aviation and Cosmonautics on April 12. The event also celebrated the 65th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s first spaceflight and the 45th anniversary of Bulgaria’s “Bulgaria 1300” space program.

The event was opened by Director Prof. Georgi Zhelev, who highlighted Bulgaria’s role in space research since 1972 and called for preserving this legacy for future generations.

He outlined key milestones, including Bulgaria’s participation in the Interkosmos program, the flights of cosmonauts Georgi Ivanov and Aleksandar Aleksandrov, and the launch of Bulgarian satellites. He also noted Bulgaria’s cooperation with the European Space Agency and its recent involvement in NASA’s Artemis program.

The program included lectures, presentations on aerospace technologies and AI-based Earth observation, and information on international collaborations, including with China’s deep space research efforts.

Visitors toured laboratories, viewed the exhibition “Bulgaria – A Spacefaring Nation,” and watched demonstrations of specialized simulators.