Luxembourg has long been a visionary in the space industry. Ever since the launch of SES, a commercial satellite communications company, in the 1980s, the country has pioneered numerous commercial space activities.
With the launch of the SpaceResources.lu initiative in 2016, Luxembourg became the first country in Europe – and the second one globally – to establish a legal framework for space resources exploration and use. The European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC) in Luxembourg focuses on space resources research but considers terrestrial as well as in-space applications. ESRIC’s Startup Support Programme is the world’s first incubation programme entirely dedicated to space resources utilisation.
As a European hub for space resources utilisation, Luxembourg continues to position itself at the cutting edge of future-oriented industries. The growing number of space companies choosing Luxembourg as their European base – many of them international firms – attests to the success of these efforts.
Luxembourg has developed a comprehensive space policy aimed at developing its space ecosystem, creating synergies with businesses and organisations outside the space sector, encouraging the development of key skills and expertise, and developing its space sector internationally.
The space sector in Luxembourg is made up of over 80 companies and research labs. The space sector’s contribution to the nation’s GDP is among the highest ratios in Europe.
The Luxembourg space ecosystem includes three segments:
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