Finnish-Born NASA Astronaut Tim Kopra Visits Tampere to Explore Space Collaboration
Former NASA astronaut and space industry executive Timothy Kopra, who has Finnish heritage on his father’s side, visited Tampere on Wednesday as part of a NASA delegation. The 63-year-old, who last flew to space a decade ago during the Expedition 46/47 mission, spoke about the commercialization of space and potential opportunities for Finnish companies in the sector.
Kopra, who now works as a developer of commercial space infrastructure at Voyager Technologies, emphasized Finland’s strengths in space technology, particularly in satellite systems, sensors, and quantum research. "Satellite technology is impressive, but especially the sensors are the reason satellites exist," he said at the University of Tampere (Yle). He also praised Finland’s rapid decision-making processes, noting that Finnish leaders collaborate efficiently—a contrast to other countries (Ilta-Sanomat).
Starlab and the Future of Space Stations
Voyager Technologies, where Kopra is employed, is developing the Starlab space station, a commercial successor to the International Space Station (ISS). The company plans to launch private astronaut flights, with the first mission, VOYG-1, announced in April. NASA and Voyager have signed an agreement for an astronaut flight to the ISS, scheduled for no earlier than 2028 (Yle).
Kopra highlighted Finland’s potential role in the growing space economy, particularly in quantum technology. "The quantum work being done in Finland will be extremely important and powerful in the future," he said (Yle). Finnish companies, including Solar Foods, which develops the Solein protein for space-based food production, are already collaborating with international partners. Kopra serves as an advisor to Solar Foods, stressing the importance of producing food in space to reduce reliance on Earth-based supplies (Ilta-Sanomat).
Pirkanmaa’s Role in Space Technology
Tampere and the Pirkanmaa region have long been a hub for satellite navigation and space technology. Heini Kuusniemi, Professor of Wireless Systems at the University of Tampere, noted that the area’s expertise in telecommunications, microelectronics, and data analytics is internationally recognized. "Navigation systems provide the shortest route, weather data comes from satellites, and banking systems use satellite time for timestamps," she explained (Yle).
The University of Tampere has established an interdisciplinary space group to foster collaboration between students, researchers, and companies. The space sector is expected to see billion-euro growth over the next decade, with tens of thousands of satellites requiring Finnish expertise (Yle).
Kopra’s Connection to Finland
Kopra, who resides in Houston, Texas, expressed interest in potentially moving to Finland for a second career. "I would like to find a way to have a second career here in Finland," he said, revealing that he had discussed the possibility with his wife (Yle). During his visit, he also attended the sold-out Finnish Liiga ice hockey finals in Tampere, expressing enthusiasm for the event (Ilta-Sanomat).
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP)
When asked about unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP), formerly known as UFOs, Kopra approached the topic with scientific curiosity. "Anyone who enjoys science fiction or science—like I do—wants to understand what is happening around us," he said, acknowledging that some phenomena remain unexplained. However, he confirmed that during his eight months in space, he did not encounter anything unusual (Ilta-Sanomat).
Kopra also reflected on NASA’s Artemis II mission, which made a strong impression on him. "I was as excited as everyone else on the ground," he said, noting that he was familiar with the entire crew (Ilta-Sanomat). While he admitted missing spaceflight at times, he emphasized the demanding nature of astronaut training and the risks involved. "If I didn’t have to pay for it or train for it, I would go to space every year," he said, though he added, "I would never say 'never'" to the possibility of returning (Ilta-Sanomat).
