18th European Space Conference

Preparations are underway at as we get ready to welcome participants to the 18th #EuropeanSpaceConf! ☕ Our doors open at 08:00 tomorrow with fresh coffee and early networking. 🎫 Participants can also collect their badge today from 16:00 to 19:00 at the venue.

Save the Date! The 18th #EuropeanSpaceConference lands in Brussels on 27–28 Jan 2026 at SQUARE Convention Centre. 📩 Want to learn more? Email us: spaceconference@b-bridge.eu

H. Ludwig Moeller, Director of @ESPIspace closed the 17th #EuropeanSpaceConf outlining the Key Takeaways from two full days of high-level sessions and conversations that brought together the main figures from the European space community.

We’re establishing the UK as a leading launch destination for the European space sector 🚀 @peterkyle delivered a speech @BBE_Europe's space conference as the government announced a £20M investment into @orbexspace’s Prime rocket launch.

Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space, European Commission: "We have to take much more responsibility for defence into our own hands." #EuropeanSpaceConf

@rubenbrekelmans, Minister of Defence, Kingdom of the Netherlands: "In the EU we are not living in a war. But we are not living in peace either. Space is a perfect place for geopolitical threats. We cannot be naive about this. Our competitors are gearing up." #EuropeanSpaceConf

@kajakallas, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy / Vice-President of the European Commission: "The EU has to promote the peaceful use of outer space. At the same time, we have to get serious about our space defences." #EuropeanSpaceConf

Minister of Higher Education and Science, Kingdom of Denmark @ChristinaEgelun announced Denmark's new Strategy for Space Research and innovation for 2025-2035 to develop the country's scientific sector within the space domain. #EuropeanSpaceConf

Tomas Norvoll, State Secretary, Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries: "We strongly welcome the conclusions of the Draghi report. Europe needs to be more autonomous and more prepared in space, and Norway has a central part in this." #EuropeanSpaceConf

Dinka Dinkova, DG DEFIS, @EU_Commission: "Our priority is to support, at the policy level, space #innovation and entrepreneurship for #competitiveness. Startups are accelerating the transformation & building #resilience in the sector”. #EuropeanSpaceConf

At the #EuropeanSpaceConf, Catherine Bender highlighted the importance of developing a European space strategy for security and defence, as well as the EIB Group's key role in supporting companies in the industry, strengthening the EU's competitiveness and strategic autonomy.

@peterkyle, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, United Kingdom: "If we, in Europe, want to secure our future in space, each of us must double down on what we do best." #EuropeanSpaceConf

🚀Luca Parmitano, Astronaut at the @esa: "At the ESA we want talents: regardless of your background, if you have something to give, we'll take it. I hope to see differences: the more different, the more you get to learn." #EuropeanSpaceConf

The best place to test new space technologies? Space! 🚀 At the 17th #EuropeanSpaceConf @BBE_Europe, @esa's TEC Director signed a deal with a pool of small satellite companies that will take promising technologies to space for testing as part of @EU_Commission’s programme to boost space tech innovators 👉 esa.int/Enabling_Suppo… 📸ESA - P. Sebirot

🚀@SandraBudimir, General Partner, Expansion Ventures: "We saw a lot of startups emerging in Europe and awareness from governments that there's a need for more programmes for connectivity to enable those startups to accelerate. We have to think European." #EuropeanSpaceConf

Stefan Schnorr, State Secretary, German Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport, Germany: "Germany is championing the evolution of Galileo in many ways, for instance through the German-Italian joint venture @spaceopal." @bmdv #EuropeanSpaceConf

Day 2 of the 17th #EuropeanSpaceConf begins now! Wrap-up of Day 1: Director-General @FlorenceRabier spoke on the importance of @CopernicusECMWF for environmental impact assessments. Director for Engagement with the EU @VHPeuch highlighted applications of AI & machine learning.

Catherine Bender, Head of Security and Defence Office, @EIB group, opened the second day of the 17th #EuropeanSpaceConf: "If we want space to be a force for good, Europe must remain a leading space power. The European Investment Bank is here to help achieve this leadership."

Yesterday and today, IAI is participating in the 17th #EuropeanSpaceConf (@BBE_Europe) in Brussels! 🚀🇪🇺 @Alessandro__Ma (@IAIonline) will be moderating two panels and speaking in a third one today. Looking forward to insightful discussions on Europe's #space ambitions!

Catch up on day 1 of the European Space Conference ➡️ esa.int/About_Us/Exhib…