Malta was granted observer status at the European Space Agency after signing a collaboration agreement yesterday.
The agreement, signed by the Malta Council for Science and Technology, will result in training and research opportunities for students and researchers, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said.
The agreement gives Maltese researchers access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities and the possibility to network with space agency researchers.
Dr Gonzi said: “Space today represents an important research area for Europe as well as an industrial sector and a key factor in its competitiveness... providing investment, value added and jobs.”