The Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) officially launched operations on September 12th with the goal of promoting the further economic development of the Grand Duchy’s space industry by attracting businesses, developing human resources, providing innovative financial solutions and supporting educational and research infrastructure. Unlike many similar organizations abroad, Luxembourg’s space agency will not directly conduct research or launch missions, but foster collaboration between key players in the space industry, with the core mission of accelerating the emergence of innovation-driven businesses.
The newly-created Luxembourg Space Agency builds on the country’s deep understanding of the legal and infrastructure requirements for space entrepreneurs to achieve their commercial ambitions. Under the authority of the Ministry of the Economy, the agency is partnering with leading national academic, research and business organizations and communities as well as other public institutions within Luxembourg’s extensive ecosystem of public- and private-sector stakeholders.
For more than three decades, Luxembourg has been at the forefront of commercial and co-operative initiatives that have shaped a vibrant space economy. Its greatest success has been the creation in 1985 of the government-supported SES (Société Européenne des Satellites), today the world’s largest commercial satellite operator. Further space-related services and businesses have developed alongside SES, and today commercial space activity accounts for nearly 2% of GDP, among the highest ratios in Europe.
Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy, Étienne Schneider, says: “Building on Luxembourg’s longstanding support for the space industry through a combination of policy, programmes and funding, the agency will further encourage innovation-driven space entrepreneurship and promote this country as Europe’s platform for commercial space development and a home for cutting-edge industries. Luxembourg is ready to welcome, support and assist the development of space industry players that can move forward together.”