We study cosmic rays, space weather, and airglow — with instruments we design and build ourselves, measurements from 2634 m, and data returned from across the Solar System.
We track solar modulation, Forbush decreases and ground-level enhancements in the uninterrupted neutron monitor record from Lomnický štít, and model how charged particles propagate through the heliosphere and magnetosphere.
Read more →Through the KM3NeT deep-sea telescope we search for the cosmic accelerators behind astrophysical neutrinos — messengers that arrive undeflected by magnetic fields and unabsorbed by matter.
Read more →We study how coronal mass ejections, the solar wind and geomagnetic storms couple to spacecraft, aviation and ground infrastructure — and apply machine learning to forecast their impact.
Read more →By measuring airglow emission we probe the dynamics, waves and composition of the region where Earth's atmosphere meets space — and characterise the background that limits observations from orbit.
Read more →More than 25 missions since 1977 carry hardware or software designed in Košice. Four current highlights, and the full record below.
A Slovak technology consortium building a modular 150 kg+ satellite platform with interchangeable payloads — developing core subsystems, cleanroom facilities, and a functional ground segment to establish a sovereign Slovak satellite capability.
Our role: consortium member · OBC development and cleanroom facilities
Visit the project site →A stratospheric balloon pathfinder for the POEMMA concept, observing ultra-high-energy cosmic rays and neutrinos from above the clouds through fluorescence and radio signatures.
Our role: EMON instruments delivery
Read the paper →The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer arrives in 2031 to survey Ganymede, Europa and Callisto and Jupiter's magnetosphere as a coupled system. For the JDC plasma analyser we designed and delivered the Anti-Coincidence Module, which flags penetrating radiation-belt electrons.
Our role: ACM anti-coincidence module design, testing and delivery
Read the full mission story →Europe's first mission to Mercury reaches orbit in November 2026 to study the planet's exosphere, magnetosphere and its coupling to the Sun. For SERENA's PICAM ion mass spectrometer we designed, verified and built the ultra-light structure carrying its electronics and sensor.
Our role: PICAM electronics-box structure — design, FEA, delivery
Read the full mission story →A wide-field telescope concept observing extensive air showers from orbit to probe cosmic rays at the highest energies, up to 10²⁰ eV — and the origin of airglow research in our department.
The PEEL particle instrument flown on the HotPay-2 sounding rocket to study the upper atmosphere.
The MEP-2 energetic particle spectrometer aboard the Spectrum-R (Radioastron) space radio telescope.
The NUADU energetic neutral atom imager, built in Košice, mapped the ring current and inner magnetosphere from the TC-2 polar spacecraft.
We delivered the ESS communication processor for ESA's comet chaser, which escorted 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko and deployed the Philae lander.
Electronics for the SONG-M gamma-ray and neutron instrument observing solar flares.
Radiation dosimetry experiment developed for crewed spaceflight.
The SPRUT instrument operated aboard the MIR orbital station.
The MEP-1 energetic particle spectrometer for the Compass microsatellite.
The EPD energetic particle detector developed for the Cesar mission.
SLED-2, a low-energy particle detector built with European partners — an early step in the department's integration with Western European laboratories.
The SPE-1M spectrometer flown on the MIR orbital station.
A DOK-series semiconductor particle detector for the Interball magnetospheric mission.
DOK-SA particle detector flown on the Magion subsatellite of Interball.
DOK-2X detector for the Interball tail probe.
DOK-SX detector flown alongside the Interball tail probe.
Electronics for the SONG-E solar gamma-ray and neutron instrument.
DOK-S particle detector for the Apex active plasma experiment.
The SPE-1 spectrometer for the Active magnetospheric mission.
DOK-S semiconductor detector flown on the Active mission and its Magion-2 subsatellite.
DOK-1, the first of the DOK series of semiconductor detectors, studying the Earth's bow shock.
The URE-1 instrument flown on a Vertikal sounding rocket.
DOK-T particle detector aboard Prognoz-8, observing the solar wind and magnetosphere.
The first instrument designed and built entirely within our department — a gamma-ray and neutron detector launched on 24 September 1977.
The PG-1B instrument, part of the department's earliest spaceflight participation.
A nuclear emulsion experiment recording cosmic ray tracks in orbit.
The PG-1A particle instrument, continuing the PG series of early experiments.
PG-1, the department's first flight experiment, measuring charged particles in near-Earth space.
High in the Tatra mountains, our laboratory has recorded the secondary particles produced when cosmic rays strike the atmosphere without interruption for decades. Thin air and a stable mountain platform make it one of Europe's most valuable observing sites.
Continuous neutron monitor data feeding the global network — used to study solar modulation, Forbush decreases and ground-level enhancements.
The neutron monitor, supporting detectors and environmental sensors, maintained and upgraded in-house by our engineering team.
From the first space physics laboratory built on the peak in 1957 to today's continuously operating station — a record spanning generations of researchers.
The first dedicated space cleanroom in Slovakia — ISO 7, with ESD protection and controlled temperature and humidity, for developing, testing and integrating spaceborne hardware to ECSS standards.
Facility details →As part of the OPENLABS SAV project we are building a dedicated open-access space at Lomnický štít where partner institutions and companies can install and operate their own instruments. We provide the site, infrastructure and operational support — power, connectivity, environmental monitoring and on-site logistics at 2634 m.
Request access →Models of cosmic ray propagation through the heliosphere and magnetosphere, used to compute particle spectra, cut-off rigidities and radiation exposure for mission planning.
Model documentation →A neural network for automated segmentation of coronal structures in solar images — turning large observation archives into usable catalogues.
Open portal →A service for accessing and analysing space-weather relevant datasets, developed in cooperation with ESA.
Open portal →Dosimetry data and tools for assessing radiation exposure in space and at aviation altitudes.
Open portal →