The European Space Forum 2022

In November 2021, the EU released their Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, with the objective of making the EU a stronger and more capable security provider. The document highlighted the link between space issues and security, and made the recommendation for the adoption of an EU space strategy for security and defence by the end of 2023. Given current geopolitical tensions and in particular, the situation in Ukraine, the timeline for this has been accelerated, with the aim now to have the document ready for adoption by the end of this year. This session will explore the key aims and objectives of the proposed recommendation. More broadly, it will look at strengthening links between space, security and defence, and at how to maximise the impact of European space assets on enhancing security and defence capabilities.

• To what extent are space policy and security / defence policy becoming increasingly intertwined, and how can this link be expected to evolve in the future?
• What should be the key goals of the proposed EU space strategy for security and defence? Alongside the need to secure systems against attacks (including cyberattacks) and random events, how should it also be focussing on areas such as ensuring swift response to crises, increasing situational awareness during missions and operations, and achieving technological independence?
• What will be the impact of the strategy on the limited mandate of EU institutions to play an active role in EU defence matters, and how can this be managed?
• What are the key areas that need to be addressed to ensure that EU space is contributing to EU defence and security policy in the best way possible?
• Is there a need to look at improving communication channels between EU institutions, EU agencies (such as Frontex, the European Maritime Safety Agency and the EU’s Satellite Centre (EU SatCen)) and member states? How can this be done and what added value can be generated by strengthening and simplifying the exchange of information, data and experiences between them?
• What can be done to help improve the availability and timely delivery of Copernicus imagery to expand on its current capabilities and provide very high-resolution data for defence purposes?

Europe has the second largest space industry in the world. It employs over 230,000 professionals and is estimated to be worth €55-60 billion. If harnessed correctly, the space sector in Europe has the power to make a real and tangible contribution towards some of Europe’s broader political priorities – the European Green Deal, the digitalisation of the European economy and the promotion of a stronger and more resilient Europe on the global stage. This session will look at the ambitious plans that have been laid out as part of the EU Space Programme, and at how these fit with Europe’s broader policy goals and targets. How can policymakers and industry representatives harness the power of space to enable both our green and digital transition, and deliver a stronger, more resilient Europe for us all?

• How can we ensure that the EU Space Programme is fully aligned with EU priorities and supports the achievement of key EU policy goals? 
• What role can space data and technologies play in contributing to a resilient and green digital transformation in Europe? How can policymakers work with industry, entrepreneurs, and user communities to maximise the potential of this? 
• How can EUSPA take European space activities in areas such as navigation, Earth observation and satellite communications to the next level, to truly move the needle of achieving the specific targets set by the green deal and the digital decade?
• To what extent do the targets set out as part of the digital decade reflect the potential of space technologies and satellite communications in particular?

Space treaties are based on international co-operation. But at the same time, the delivery of strategic autonomy is an underlying objective that currently underpins almost all aspects of European policy. Given this dichotomy, and with current political tensions leading to the possible threat of weaponization of space lurking menacingly in the background, where does the balance lie? How can policymakers consider the need for both autonomy and co-operation when looking to formulate future European space policies?

As part of the EU Space Programme, Europe is working hard on technological advancement in space to develop autonomous capabilities in critical technologies. This is now more important than ever in view of evolving geo-political sensitivities. It could be argued that Europe is already playing catch-up in many areas, which has led to suggestions that we are at risk of losing our competitive edge in space. This session will look at key technical capabilities such as launch and surveillance, and at how Europe measures up compared to other regions. Amid a fast-moving international space landscape and fierce competition, it will look at the measures that are needed to ensure the future independence and autonomy of Europe’s space sector.

• Is Europe losing its competitive edge in space? Against a long-standing culture of co-operation across member states, can Europe react dynamically enough to regain ground at risk of being lost to rapid technological advancement happening elsewhere?
• What policy measures are in place to ensure Europe’s continued success in the fast-evolving space industry, and to what extent are the required building blocks in place to move forward to an autonomous and independent future?
• Can ESA’s ‘Accelerators’ approach, which is designed to address real problems with urgency, act as a driver for a similar approach to address the need to accelerate technological development in space? 
• What are the experiences of different space industry players as to how the market is evolving? What are they seeing and where do they expect growth? 
• How are the expectations of customers and downstream users changing, and how can we ensure that European space players are in a position to react to these changes and continue to meet expectations?
• Ultimately, what needs to be done in the European space sector to secure our position at the top-table, and to ensure that we have autonomy in our services and offerings and are not dependent on other countries and regions?

In February this year, the European Union formally introduced legislation to establish a secure connectivity satellite constellation that will serve European Governments and citizens with next generation satellite communication capabilities. The aim of this ambitious new flagship programme is to enable the EU to enter the race to deliver complete internet access to all Europeans from space, de facto competing with private sector projects developed in other regions, including Starlink, Project Kuiper, Telesat’s Lightspeed, Russia’s Sfera and OneWeb. The programme is moving forward despite negative feedback from impact assessments submitted to the Regulatory Scrutiny Board. This session will look at how scepticism around the initiative can be overcome and what ambitions Europe can realistically hope to have. 

• To what extent is there a need for the European Commission to break free from the established working model that they have with the European space industry in order to give the initiative the best chance of success?  
• To date, €6billion has been identified for the programme. What will it take to convince member states of the need to increase funding to realise the inherently complex and sophisticated secure connectivity initiative with all the ‘bells and whistles’ it is supposed to have (quantum, multi-orbit global constellation etc.)? 
• What is the incentive for the private sector to invest alongside member states and the European Commission? What examples exist of the European Commission aggregating demand in order to adequately serve as an anchor customer for the secure connectivity initiative? 
• What timeline is proposed for the development and launch of the constellation? How important is time-to-market in order to make the secure connectivity initiative a success?
• How relevant is QKD (quantum key distribution) as a differentiator of the SCI on the global market? 
• Will the SCI finally overcome the existing silos between space and ICT policy within the European Commission? To what extent can it help to cement the role of SatComs as a key part of the connectivity mix to deliver on Europe’s digital goals?
• Is the SCI any closer to securing access to the spectrum it requires, and what frequencies and access models are being considered?

Europe has taken big steps in recent years to increase funding for the space sector. The budget that was approved last year as part of the EU space programme was the largest that has ever been seen (€14.88 billion for 2021-2027); the ESA budget for 2022 say a 10% increase from the previous year; and the €1 billion CASSINI space fund has recently been launched with the aim to boost entrepreneurship and the innovation and competitiveness of enterprises. Despite this however, huge challenges remain when it comes to funding in Europe compared to other regions – budgets here remain six times smaller than in the US for example, and are fragmented across multiple countries. This session will look at the work that is being done to address this inequality, and the challenges that still remain. Against the backdrop of an increasingly competitive global environment, it will explore the options that are available to deliver the public and private investment that is required to keep European space competitive. 

• To what extent have recent measures and increased spending helped to close the public funding gap that exists between Europe and the US (and China)? What work still needs to be done and what plans exist to move this forward?
• Whilst budgets to support the European space sector are increasing, the number of new players entering the European space sector is growing at a faster rate. How can this conundrum be addressed?
• Space budgets in Europe are fragmented across countries and have been reported to be six times smaller than in the US. How can this inequality be addressed, and what can be done to ensure that the European space industry remains competitive against this backdrop?
• What are the long-term ambitions of the traditional space players and how can policymakers support these alongside the needs of the many new entrants entering the market?
• What challenges are faced by space players looking to attract public and private investments and how can these be tackled?
• Following the 10% increase in the ESA budget that was seen for 2022, what are the expectations from industry on the new budget that is due to be announced at next month’s council meeting? 
• How can public support and funding best be deployed to help attract private investment to support innovative new technologies and applications within the European space sector?
• To what extent can new EU initiatives and mechanisms such as the CASSINI Seed and Growth Funding Facility help to support space entrepreneurship in Europe and ensure that fewer innovative European companies turn to non-EU investors?

The space industry is booming. The emergence of a wide range of ambitious new players (including both developing countries and private firms) coupled with digitalisation and rapid technological development have led to a swathe of new opportunities. In this evolving and fast moving environment, policymakers are faced with the challenge of protecting the needs of traditional space companies and ensuring their continued competitiveness, whilst also promoting and encouraging innovative new start-ups that are entering the market. This session will look at how this can be achieved, and the approaches that are being taken across Europe. Where does the balance lie between protecting domestic space companies vs promoting an open market that encourages competition?

• What strategies are in place in Europe to protect the global competitiveness of our space and defence sectors and how do these compare to those seen in other key players such as the US, China and India? 
• Is there a need to rethink the way things are done in Europe, particularly when it comes to the balance between protecting domestic space companies vs providing an open market that encourages competition? How can we keep the competitiveness and competence of existing companies whilst also promoting and encouraging the many innovative new start-ups that are entering the market?
• What approaches across member states and at a European level are being seen to balance the needs of existing players with those of new space, and how is thinking in this area evolving?
• To what extent should we be looking at the removal of barriers to protectionism and a movement towards a fully open market?
• What are the biggest challenges facing Europe’s emerging space industries and entrepreneurs today, and what support do they need in order to build and create a world leading NewSpace sector?

Space is getting increasingly busy and more crowded, not just due to active and defunct satellites but also from millions of pieces of space debris left as a result of various past space ventures and from collisions. In response to this, the Commission is rolling out a new space traffic management initiative, with the aim of delivering a sustainable, safe and secure space ecosystem for both European and global players. This session will look at the actions that are proposed as part of this, focussing on the key areas of space surveillance capabilities, standards for space activities and their promotion at global level. How can policymakers in Europe work alongside both the private sector and global partners to ensure a safer space for all?

• What are the main aims and objectives of the European Commission joint communication on space traffic management, and what measures are proposed in order to deliver on these? 
• What work is being done to co-ordinate the management of space traffic at a global level, and how is the EU working with international partners both to foster bilateral cooperation and to work towards multinational agreements on STM?
• What are the future plans for the E.U. Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) programme? What goals and targets have been set in this area and how can advances in technology (such as artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies) be harnessed to help reduce the risk of collisions?
• What work is being done to reduce the reliance on resources and data provided by providers outside Europe, and what impact can this have on contributing to strategic autonomy within Europe more broadly?
• What work is being done on STM outside Europe, and how can the Commission work alongside global partners to develop international regulations for responsible, safe operations in space? 
• How can it be ensured that the new guidelines and standards for STM are fair for all and do not result in a distortion of competition due to operators outside the EU potentially benefiting from less stringent standards? 
• What role can the private sector play in helping to deliver rules on space traffic management and ensuring a safe, secure and sustainable use of space for all?

Many forecasts are being made about the long term future of space. Predictions of a permanent settlement on the moon; the development of asteroid mining and space factories; closer integration of space-based activities with almost every aspect of everyday life; and economic forecasts that by 2050 the space sector will be worth over $3 trillion. What is for sure is that the space sector in 2050 will look very different to how it does today. This session will provide an opportunity to look into the crystal ball at the future shape of the space industry, and at both the threats and opportunities that this may bring.

• How will the space sector in 2050 be different to the one we see today? What are likely to be the ‘game-changes’ that fuel its future growth? How are new and emerging technologies likely to change the shape of both downstream and upstream markets in the long-term future?
• To what extent are we going to see a continuation of the commercialisation of space in the mid to long term future? How may this develop and evolve, and could we start to see growth in the space-to-space economy (for example asteroid mining and the development of space  manufacturing and factories)?
• What does Europe need to be doing now to ensure a future-proof space strategy? What institutional and regulatory frameworks need to be put in place in Europe in order for us to ensure that our space sector is ready to adapt to take advantage of new longer-term opportunities, and protect itself from possible threats that may emerge?  

The closing session of the conference will provide a final opportunity to celebrate some of Europe’s most innovative and sustainable space companies, projects and initiatives.

A final opportunity to watch a series of short showcases and presentations introducing the companies and projects that have been shortlisted for the ‘Innovation in Space 2022’ & ‘Sustainability in Space 2022’ awards (these have been available to watch on-demand for the duration of the event), and to vote for your favourite. 

The ‘audience vote’ will be taken alongside the votes from a panel of experts (including representatives from the European Commission, ESA and leading space and satellites trade associations), and the winner of both award categories will be announced.