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SecondsThe Autumn Conference is one of the annual highlights of ESPI’s calendar, offering an independent platform for European and international stakeholders to convene and hold informed and in-depth space-related discussions that reach beyond headlines.
Welcome to the 19th ESPI Autumn Conference
With profound shifts reshaping global politics, trade and security, Europe faces a critical challenge: to take its future into its own hands, for the peace of Europe and the strength, competitiveness and resilience of its economy. Business as usual is over.
A new quality of political engagement is emerging, marked by a growing readiness to invest in European autonomy, security, and economic resilience. It takes a village to translate a shared European vision into action, with each actor contributing according to their priorities and ambitions.
The 19th ESPI Autumn Conference "Europe as a Space Power - Directionality & Priorities of Strategic Action", will explore concrete pathways for Europe to become a full-fledged space power and strengthen its position as a trusted global partner. I encourage you to join us in Vienna on 28-29 October 2025, and to play a part in shaping Europe's future in space, and beyond.
H. Ludwig Moeller - Director of the European Space Policy Institute
Speakers
Speakers
Josef Aschbacher
Director General of the European Space Agency
Karin Tausz
Managing Director of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency
Tidiane Ouattara
President of the African Space Council of the African Space Agency
Mario Kadastik
Chair of the Estonian Presidency of the European Interparliamentary Space Conference
George Freeman
Member of Parliament, UK Trade & Investment Envoy
Raksina Lekthanoo
Chief of International Relations Division at GISTDA
Raúl Kulichevsky
Director of the Argentine Space Agency
Gen. Roberto Melgar
Chief of the Peruvian Space Agency
Gabriella Arrigo
Director of International Affairs at ASI, Incoming President of the International Astronautical Federation
Renato Krpoun
Head of the Swiss Space Office at SBFI, Chair of ESA Council
Walther Pelzer
Director General of the German Space Agency at DLR
Sabina Koleša
ESA Council Delegate at the Slovenian Space Office
Juan Carlos Cortés
Director of the Spanish Space Agency
Chris White-Horne
DSIT Space Director and Deputy CEO of the UK Space Agency
Ricardo Conde
President of the Portuguese Space Agency
Sinead O'Sullivan
Economist at Harvard Business School’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness
Gregory Mann
NASA Europe Representative
Mohammad Al Angari
Chief Planning and Development Officer at the Saudi Space Agency
Jana Robinson
Managing Director of the Prague Security Studies Institute
Jean-Claude Piedboeuf
Senior Vice President of Space Programs at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA)
H.E. Sh. Shambhu S. Kumaran
Ambassador of India to Austria, Permanent Representative of India to the UN in Vienna
Nikol Koleva
Executive Director at Space Generation Advisory Council
Jamie Morin
Vice President of Defense Strategic Space at the Aerospace Corporation
Mathias Link
Deputy CEO of the Luxembourg Space Agency
Margit Mischkulnig
Department Head for Space Affairs and Aerospace Technologies, Austrian Federal Ministry for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure
James Catania
Director, Space Programs & Engagement Unit, Xjenza Malta
Col. Marcin Mazur
Vice President of the Polish Space Agency
Roberto Battiston
Incoming Chair of the European Space Sciences Committee, former President of the Italian Space Agency
Etienne Schneider
Former Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg
Didier Schmitt
Head of Future Preparation, Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration, ESA
Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Pascal Legai
Senior Security Advisor to ESA Director General
Joshua Posaner
Managing Editor at Euractiv
Programme
Convening a suite of high-level European and international speakers, the Conference will foster policy dialogue across institutional, industrial, and geopolitical domains, featuring dynamic formats of exchange, including 1-on-1 moderated debates.
Discussions will explore how to scale up Europe’s ambition by leveraging the full potential of its space actors, aiming to position the continent as a leading space power and reliable global partner.
The Welcome Reception begins at 19:00 CET (28. October 2025)
- Registration & Networking Dinner
- Welcome Address: H. Ludwig Moeller, Director of the European Space Policy Institute
- Welcome Address: Karin Tausz, Managing Director of FFG
- Welcome Address: Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency
Doors open at 8:00 CET (29. October 2025)
- Check in & Networking Breakfast
Programme begins at 9:00
- Opening Keynote: Ludwig Moeller, Director of the European Space Policy Institute
- Opening Keynote: Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency
Europe is called upon to live up to its role in the world and put into practice the benefit of space for prosperity, peace and security. This series of moderated dialogues with European policymakers and heads of agencies will explore how to scale up Europe’s ambition by leveraging the full potential of its space actors, aiming to grow the political will at the true scale of Europe’s economic power and talent to assert itself as a full space power.
Policy Dialogue
- Mario Kadastik, Chair of the Estonian Presidency of the European Interparliamentary Space Conference, Member of Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia)
- George Freeman, Member of Parliament, UK Trade and Investment Envoy, former Minister of State for Science, Technology, Research and Innovation
- Moderator: Etienne Schneider, Former Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Chair of ESPI Advisory Council
Heads of Agencies Dialogue I
- Walther Pelzer, DG of the German Space Agency at DLR
- Juan Carlos Cortés, Director of the Spanish Space Agency (AEE)
- Chris White-Horne, Space Director at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology; Deputy CEO of the UK Space Agency
- Moderator: H. Ludwig Moeller, Director of the European Space Policy Institute
Heads of Agencies Dialogue II
- Renato Krpoun, Head of the Swiss Space Office at SBFI, Chair of ESA Council
- Ricardo Conde, President of the Portuguese Space Agency
- Sabina Kolesa, Slovenian Representative to ESA
- Moderator: H. Ludwig Moeller, Director of the European Space Policy Institute
Europe has the chance to build on its reputation as a trustworthy partner in many parts of the globe, a valuable asset when the world is confronted with an increasingly complex multipolar environment. This series of moderated dialogues with international guests will address Europe’s role as a global partner and address pathways for enhanced cooperation between European and international partners.
Thematic Keynote
- Tidiane Ouattara, President of the African Space Council of the African Space Agency
North American Dialogue
- Gregory Mann, NASA Europe Representative
- Jean-Claude Piedboeuf, Senior Vice President of Space Programs at the Canadian Space Agency
- Jamie Morin, Vice President of Defense Strategic Space at the Aerospace Corporation
- Moderator: Sinead O'Sullivan, Economist at Harvard Business School
Asia & Middle East Dialogue
- Mohammad Al Angari, Chief Planning and Development Officer at the Saudi Space Agency
- Raksina Lekthanoo, Chief of International Affairs Division, Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency
- H.E. Shambhu Kumaran, Ambassador of India to the Republic of Austria, Montenegro & The Holy See Permanent Representative of India to the UN and other International Organisations in Vienna, Governor for India, IAEA Board
- Moderator: Jana Robinson, Managing Director of the Prague Security Studies Institute
Latin America Dialogue
- Raúl Kulichevsky, Director of the Argentine Space Agency (CONAE)
- Gen. Roberto Melgar, Chief of the Peruvian Space Agency (CONIDA)
- Moderator: Gabriela Arrigo, Director of International Affairs at ASI and Incoming President of the International Astronautical Federation (2026)
This series of moderated dialogues will address the key thematic domains for Europe to become a full-fledged space power.
All sessions moderated by Joshua Posaner, Managing Editor at Euractiv
Explore, Inspire, Discover
- Roberto Battiston, Incoming Chair of the European Space Sciences Committee (ESSC), former President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI)
- Didier Schmitt, Head of Future Preparation, Directorate of Human and Robotic Exploration, ESA
Securing Peace
- Col. Marcin Mazur, Vice President of the Polish Space Agency (POLSA)
- Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Pascal Legai, Senior Security Advisor to ESA DG
Innovative and Competitive Europe
- Mathias Link, Deputy CEO of the Luxembourg Space Agency
- Sinead O'Sullivan, Economist at Harvard Business School
The 2 winners of the ESPI Essay Competition will be announced and have a chance to briefly present their policy brief.
- Moderator: Elizaveta Shashkova, ESPI Research Fellow
Registration
Registration for the conference is free but mandatory.
Due to limited capacity, all registrations are preliminary until confirmed via email.
Participant selection will be based on an assessment of the target audience.
Venue - Vienna City Hall
We are very pleased to announce that the 19th ESPI Autumn Conference will take place at the historic Vienna City Hall, graciously provided under the patronage of the City of Vienna.
Sponsors & Partners
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Become a sponsor !
Your organization’s participation in the 19th ESPI Autumn Conference offers a unique opportunity to showcase its initiatives to an international audience of high-level decision-makers.
By engaging with stakeholders across diverse policy domains and economic sectors, you can expand your reach, foster new relationships, and highlight your organization’s role in advancing policy, innovation, and space activities both in Europe and globally.
If you are interested in discussing sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to Luis Cortes Kollert, Events and Engagements Officer at ESPI.
Explore options in our Sponsorship Prospect!