The Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) has announced that Luxembourg Space Week will take place from Monday 2 to Thursday 5 December 2024 at the European Convention Center in Luxembourg-Kirchberg (ECCL).
Four events will take place during the week which brings international experts, entrepreneurs, policymakers, enthusiasts and visionaries together to discuss the latest developments in the field, the future prospects of space exploration and the impact that space can have on Earth.
On Monday 2 and Tuesday 3 December 2024, the following three events will take place:
- Moon Village Association (MVA) Workshop and Symposium
The Moon Village Association is a non-governmental organisation that aims to promote international collaboration in the exploration and settlement of the Moon. MVA fosters cooperation between government space agencies, commercial space entities and academia to advance humanity's presence on the Moon.
- ESA Space for Inspiration − Conference on Commercial Space Exploration
Space for Inspiration is an annual B2B event that brings together entrepreneurs, visionaries, innovators and investors that are said to be driving the future of commercial space exploration. This year's programme will include sessions on low Earth orbit (LEO) and the lunar economy, as well as panels on space resources.
- European Interstellar Symposium
The first event of its kind in Europe, dedicated to ambitious long-term missions beyond our solar system. This European Interstellar Symposium aims to bring together an interdisciplinary community and to foster an exchange on various aspects of interstellar travel, including human and robotic exploration as well as ethics, and potential destinations (including exoplanet research), life support systems and habitats.
On Tuesday 3 December 2024, the Newspace Europe Conference will focus on new space developments and on how space businesses and companies can contribute to space-for-earth activities. The organisers noted that the latest space developments, including cost reduction, miniaturisation and better access to space, give space technologies the potential to reshape whole industries and have as much impact on business and society as smartphones or cloud computing.
Two general public events will also be organised as part of Luxembourg Space Week:
- On Monday 2 December 2024, from 18:30: Space Cafe #15 & Science Fiction Authors Night
The public is invited to join science fiction authors Matthias Matting, Joshua T. Calvert and Les Johnson for an evening of “science-informed and inspired visioneering of humanity's future in space”. Participating in the University of Luxembourg’s and Interstellar Research Group's Interstellar Symposium, these best-selling authors will discuss how science fiction inspires scientists and vice versa and how the incredible technological breakthroughs of the 20th and 21st centuries are shaping our lives, as we prepare once again to send humans beyond Earth to the Moon, Mars and ultimately, to planets circling other stars. Entrance is free. For further information and to register, visit: https://www.eventbrite.fr/e/space-cafe-15-science-fiction-authors-night-tickets-1059722100329?aff=oddtdtcreator
- On Tuesday 3 December 2024, from 18:30: Highlight talk – “An Enduring Mystery of Astronomy: Can We Find Signs of Life Beyond Earth?”
The talk will be presented by Professor Sara Seager, a Canadian American astrophysicist and planetary scientist who finds inspiration in the vastness of space. She is Professor of Planetary Science, Professor of Physics, and Professor of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Ms Seager has pioneered numerous techniques for characterising exoplanets, revolutionising our ability to understand these distant worlds. Entrance is free. For further information and to register, visit: https://www.eventbrite.fr/e/next-destinations-for-interstellar-travel-with-sara-seager-tickets-1088718118199?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1
