Joining means that Estonia must pay a one-time special payment of EUR 600,000 to the agency's budget, plus an annual payment of EUR 870,000.

However, the membership offers Estonian companies the opportunity to fulfil the space agency's orders. Estonia has undergone a five-year preparatory period, within which Estonian companies and research institutions have had 27 joint projects with the Agency.

"As a full member, the cooperation means that we have to compete equally with all other bidders to get orders, and I am confident that Estonian enterprises have this capability. But the space agency also prescribes newcomers an introductory period, which means certain part of the orders coming to Estonia," explained Enterprise Estonia Space Office Manager Madis Võõras.