Strategy for the future: In its momentum, Luxembourg hands over 256 million euros for Space
Published
Strategy for the future In its momentum, Luxembourg donates 256 million euros for Space
LUXEMBOURG – Between now and 2027, the Grand Duchy still and always intends its ambition for the space sector deemed “priority”. The means have been revealed.
It is a reliable indicator to say that the positioning of Luxembourg, in terms of spatial strategy, is no longer more than a simple curiosity. Industry professionals and journalists filled the small room of the Hôtel Saint-Augustin on Tuesday afternoon in the capital. “It’s the crowd of great days,” even noted the Minister of the Economy, Franz Fayot. Just a few days after the presentation of the new astronauts recruited by the European Space Agency (ESA), including the Belgian-Luxembourgish Raphaël Liégeois, Luxembourg has unveiled the outlines of its strategy for the period 2023-2027.
An ambition which is accelerating but which is not new. “The commitment to developing a space sector dates back to the 1980s with the creation of SES,” recalled Franz Fayot. And it was in 2005 that Luxembourg joined the ESA. But let’s say that over the years, the sector has become a “priority”, a pillar of national economic diversification and an initiative that is “of great interest to other countries around the world”, according to the minister. All this justifies a new budget of 256 million euros put on the table by 2027. An increase of 21.7% compared to the envelope for the 2020-2024 period.
An “industry 4.0”
The objective is to strengthen again and again a space sector which today employs 1,400 people in Luxembourg, and has 70 public and private players. They were only about twenty in 2016 according to data from the Ministry of the Economy. “The strategy will focus on the development of industrial skills”, explained Franz Fayot on Tuesday. Luxembourg intends to enter an “industry 4.0” which can ensure the sustainability of projects and guarantee rewards for other economic sectors. “This is another signal sent by Luxembourg internationally, on its determination”.
While Franz Fayot concedes that “lawless initiatives” persist elsewhere in the world, that a “coherent” international legal framework is still lacking, he believes that the policy developed over the next four years by the Grand Duchy can assess things. Very concretely, Luxembourg wants tools for better management of space traffic, satellites and debris. “It is necessary to improve the quality of this data, both in terms of the number of objects and in precision”, advances the Luxembourg Space Agency. The new industrial skills must also promote final orbital placement such as assembly or in-orbit manufacturing. So many tools to be optimized to allow “the extension of the lifespan of the missions”. Without forgetting to make sure to “inspire the younger generations”. Betting on the future.