The creation of a Space Campus is a major milestone since the launch of the SpaceResources initiative in 2016 with the creation of the Luxembourg Space Agency in 2018, the launch of the interdisciplinary master in space at the University of Luxembourg in 2019 and the creation, in 2020, of the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC) based in Luxembourg.
During a press conference held on August 3, 2022, the Minister of Economy, Franz Fayot, and the Minister of Higher Education and Research, Claude Meisch, presented the concept of the future Space Campus which goal is to create specific geographic areas in Luxembourg exclusively dedicated to space-related activities to ensure the competitive position of companies and public research organizations in this field.
The new infrastructure, for which the groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 2024, will be built in accordance with best practices in environmental protection, urban mobility and human well-being. The first buildings are expected to be operational in 2026.
To best meet the needs of the Luxembourg ecosystem, while making the most of each location, the campus will group together on two separate sites. On the one hand, activities directly related to companies and, on the other hand, to public space research.
The main site (7 hectares) will be located in Kockelscheuer (municipality of Roeser) in the ParcLuxite for high-tech activities and will house the headquarters of the Luxembourg Space Agency as well as the activities directly linked to companies. This unique infrastructure integrates office space, shared technical infrastructure (including a test centre with a surface area of 3,000m2) for companies and an incubator to host start-ups.
The second site in Belval with an area of 69 ares - with the possibility of eventually occupying 1.9 hectares - will be in front of the University's parking lot near the Maison du Savoir. The Belval site will bring together the space research activities and laboratories of the Interdisciplinary Center for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) and the European Space Resource Innovation Center (ESRIC). Most of the space research activities will be concentrated in Belval within the Cité des Sciences creating the best possible conditions for the emergence of future synergies.
Today, the Grand Duchy is home to about 75 companies and research laboratories active in the space sector and employs nearly 1,200 people.
