HISTORY
Romania is recognised as a country with aerospace tradition and detains
a basis for the space enterprise in the future:
The existence of historical personalities such as Conrad Haas
(constructor of the multistage rockets with delta stabilisers, Sibiu -
1529), Aurel Vlaicu (first Romanian aerospace engineer), Traian Vuia
(designer and constructor of the first autonomous take-off aeroplane in
1906), Henri Coanda (designer and constructor of the first jet aeroplane
in 1910), Hermann Oberth (designer of space rockets and "father of space
navigation"), Elie Carafoli (important contributions in aerodynamics and
and space sciences, president of the IAF in 1961, 1962);
The development of the aeronautical industry which presently includes
the manufacturing, based on original design or under license, of more than
twenty types of transport airplanes, helicopters, passenger medium
couriers, and light airplanes;
Romanian contributions to more than thirty scientific and technological
space missions including the mission of the first Romanian cosmonaut in
1981;
The experience in the field of space applications; since 1977 the Cheia
Intelsat ground station with two 32 m antennas is operational;
applications of remote sensing imagery and Geostationary Positioning
System technology performed for the oil industry, agriculture,
environment, cartography, and land use;
The large sector of commercial space applications, as space
communications, applications of satellite remote sensing, geographic
informational systems, positioning and navigation, global information
systems.
In order to reconsider the importance of space
activities as necessary elements for the development of the Romanian
community, the public administration in co-operation with the private
entities have created and supported this endeavour.
