François Bausch, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence; Credit: DoD

On Monday 28 February 2022, the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, François Bausch, presented Luxembourg's first Spatial Defence Strategy.

“In the Defence sector, space represents a real national security issue", explained Minister Bausch, adding that: “Space has become an increasingly contested, competitive and congested environment".

Thus, the development of the first Spatial Defence Strategy is part of Luxembourg's defence effort. Minister Bausch reasoned that this strategy is based on a long-term objective, which aims for Luxembourg Defence, as a united player, to consolidate its role as a reliable partner by 2030 in the field of space, relying in particular on its communication satellite GovSat1 as well as the observation satellite LUXEOSyS, the launch of which is scheduled for 2023.

By developing national space capabilities or in cooperation with partners such as NATO or the European Union and by strengthening the resilience of these capabilities, Defence will not only meet its national needs but will also contribute to those of international organisations and of allied countries.

Minister Bausch stressed that the strategy should contribute to guaranteeing access to and peaceful and sustainable use of space, in compliance with international law, while relying on the skills of the Luxembourg space sector.

The common threads of the new strategy are cooperation between countries sharing the same values; an increase in the resilience of space capacities (access to several systems or reinforcement of the protection of capacities); particular attention paid to the development of dual-use capabilities, civil and military.

The strategy thus has following four strategic objectives:

  • Consolidate current space capabilities, increase their resilience and develop new systems
  • Support freedom of action in and from space
  • Promote national and international cooperation
  • Attract and retain a qualified and motivated workforce

Minister Bausch concluded: “in the space field, Luxembourg can have an impact and make its fair contribution to the overall effort in terms of security and defence".