The Luxembourg Space Agency concluded an exceptional week at the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), world's number one space gathering that rallies space agencies, industry pioneers, researchers, and policymakers from around the globe!
Held in Sydney, Australia, this year's IAC provided a platform to showcase the advanced technological solutions and capabilities of ten Luxembourg-based companies, namely Bradford Space, ClearSpace, Data Design Engineering SARL, ESRIC, GomSpace, Lunar Outpost EU, Odysseus Space, OQ Technology, SpaceR (SnT/Uni.lu), and Redwire.
The week unfolded through productive meetings with international partners, notably JAXA, Poland, Australia, India, and Blue Origin, opening new commercial pathways within the global space ecosystem.
A most welcome visit from ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher at LSA’s booth provided an opportunity to reaffirm Luxembourg's priorities regarding its joint activities with ESA, ensuring continued alignment on strategic space initiatives at the European level.
Culminating this successful week, on October 1st, the Luxembourg Space Agency and the Korea AeroSpace Administration (KASA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding, establishing a five-year partnership for peaceful space exploration and cooperation. This accord creates an extensive framework for collaboration in the domains of space science and technology, satellite communications, space resource utilization, and international governance, while facilitating the exchange of expertise and fostering joint research.
This partnership testifies to both nations' dedication in advancing space capabilities while contributing to the international space order in accordance with the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. Indeed, the Treaty establishes that space exploration shall be conducted for the benefit of all countries, prohibits the deployment of nuclear weapons in space, and declaring that no celestial body may be claimed by any nation.
Moving forward, this collaboration represents a substantial advancement in Luxembourg's international space diplomacy, as the country already stands as an influential contributor to the global space regulations and resource utilization with its 2017 space law.
