Space office established to help businesses get profitable orders

Lithuania has established a space office in preparation for its membership in the European Space Agency, and Lithuanian Economy and Innovation Minister Virginijus Sinkevicius says it will help the country's businesses to get profitable orders.

"The Lithuanian space office will ensure that as many as a possible business in the country know about possibilities to take part in international space organizations' projects and win not only profitable but also competence-expanding orders," the minister was quoted as saying in a statement.

Similar officers operate in the majority of EU members states.

The ESA now has 22 members, and Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Slovakia have cooperation agreements with the ESA.