At the beginning of November, a Latvian delegation participated in the “Open World” leadership exchange program mission, “Commercial Utilisation of Space Technologies.” The program is administered by the Congressional Office for International Leadership. It aims to strengthen cooperation between science and business and promote the development of modern innovation ecosystems.
uring the ten-day visit, the Latvian delegation travelled to Washington, D.C., and Huntsville, Alabama. The delegation was led by Aļina Jefremova (Economic Specialist at the U.S. Embassy in Latvia). It included Kaspars Karolis (Space Industry Expert at the Ministry of Education and Science and Head of Latvian Delegation of the European Space Agency), Mārcis Donerblics (Director of the Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Center), Ļevs Lapkis (Head of the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre “ESA BIC Latvia” and the Latvian Space Industry Association), Ingus Mitrofanovs (Director of the University of Latvia Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformatics), and Viktors Gutakovskis (Lecturer and Researcher at Riga Technical University’s Faculty of Civil and Mechanical Engineering).
The program began in Washington, D.C., where the Latvian representatives joined participants from four other countries. The agenda included sessions on American federalism, leadership, and innovation policy, led by representatives from academia and industry alike.
After Washington, the delegation travelled to Huntsville, one of the leading U.S. centres for space research, also known as “Rocket City.” It was here that the first American rockets and NASA’s Saturn V, which carried humans to the Moon, were developed. In Huntsville, the Latvian delegation was hosted by the Huntsville Area Friendship Force. During the visit, participants explored the local space and innovation ecosystem and discussed opportunities for cooperation between Latvia and the United States.
One of the visit’s highlights was a meeting with Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle, who emphasised that Cummings Research Park is the second-largest research park in the U.S. and the fourth-largest in the world. It is home to a dynamic high-tech and aerospace community, including companies such as Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Blue Origin. The meeting focused on strengthening collaboration between Huntsville and Latvia’s growing space industry.
Meetings with engineers and experts from U.S. companies provided the Latvian representatives with valuable insights into accelerating technology transfer, managing innovation programs, and building strategic partnerships. The delegation also gained first-hand experience of how the U.S. successfully integrates research and industry, driving the development of high technologies and space innovation. By visiting companies and research institutes, the Latvian participants established new contacts, deepened their understanding of emerging space technologies, and shared Latvia’s own achievements and challenges in the space sector.
As a developing space ecosystem, Latvia aims to undertake larger-scale projects in the space sector, commercialise space products, and deliver tangible benefits to society and the economy. The U.S. experience in this field provided valuable insights and a fresh perspective, while the visit marked an essential step toward strengthening transatlantic cooperation and fostering new partnerships in research, business, and technology development.
