In the most recent episode of “Space Café BeNeLux”, our host Dr. Heike Poignand, welcomed Kees Buijsrogge, Director High Tech for Civil & Military Space at TNO to an open discussion around the delicate topic how space technology is key for Europe’s sovereignty?
The conversation highlighted the significance of space in Europe’s sovereignty, the methods employed to achieve it—such as programs like IRIS²—and the integral role space plays in our daily life, impacting innovation and competitiveness, that are crucial especially for smaller nations like The Netherlands.
TNO is committed to its mission of contributing to a better world, emphasizing innovation, sustainable solutions, pragmatism, and awareness-raising. The discussion underscored the importance of national and European investments in space to prevent dependence on commercial or non-European monopolies during crisis situations. While Europe possesses intellectual capabilities, limited funding resources pose a challenge. Thus, there’s the necessity for collaboration and pooling resources and to focus on core competencies for an independent and robust Europe.
Space Café BeNeLux took place Friday 17 November 2023 at 4 pm CET.
