External Events

This week, Dr Emma Gatti, our Editor in Chief, discussed with us the latest updates from the 16th European Space Conference in Brussels, Belgium, 23-24 January 2024. She spoke about : 1. The pressing issue of #launch vehicles in Europe, 2.⁠ ⁠⁠European Commission versus ESA, 3.⁠ ⁠⁠The highlights from the conference- specifically #militarisation of space

IRIS2 (pronounced “iris square”) is the new EU secure satellite constellation project, which stands for Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity, and Security by Satellite. Touted as “the European Union’s answer to pressing challenge of tomorrow, offering enhanced communication capacities to governmental users, businesses, while ensuring high-speed internet broadband to cope with connectivity dead zones,“ IRIS2 is the result of a brilliant vision at the intersection of European “strategic autonomy,” orbital economy and policy, space industry majors, innovative startups, bureaucratic agendas, and a European Union space strategy for security and defense. Like many brilliant visions, it runs the risk of being eaten for breakfast by the tyranny of execution. Could it be different this time?

Belgium has become the latest country to append its signature to the Artemis Accords, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hadja Lahbib, and the Secretary of State for Science Policy, Thomas Dermine, signing the accords yesterday, 23rd of January 2024. 

In this new episode of Space Café Radio - Karman Special- our Editor in Chief Emma Gatti has interviewed Norilmi Ismail, the founder and CEO of SpaceIn. Norilmi shares her exceptional background as a professor turned entrepreneur in the space industry in Malaysia.

This episode is part of our Karman mini-series, produced in collaboration with the Karman Project. Every year, the Karman Project selects 15 fellows from around the world to foster trust, cooperation, and dialogue between global leaders in space. Today's guest is Trent Tresch, the founding director of the University of Arizona Center for Human Space Exploration.

Dive into this insightful episode of Space Cafe as Markus Mooslechner engages with Aarti Holla-Maini, the dynamic new director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). With a rich background in the satellite communications industry and a passion for space sustainability, Holla-Maini offers a fresh perspective on global space policy and its impact on society. From her personal journey to her bold vision for the future of space exploration, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the evolving landscape of space diplomacy and technology.

The World Space Forum 2023 at UNOOSA in Vienna was a great success. Dr Emma Gatti and Torsten Kriening offer their recap from the event here - in front of the frags. Stay tuned for more information about the Summit of the Future and the next World Space Forum 2024 in Bonn/Germany.

At the end of World Space Forum 2023, Torsten Kriening talked with Gina Petrovici from DLR about the next World Space Forum 2024 in Bonn/Germany - co-hosted by DLR.

SpaceWatch.Global Editor-in-Chief Dr. Emma Gatti describes Space Bridge. UNOOSA Director Aarti Holla-Maini announces the creation of Space Bridge, a new UNOOSA initiative aimed at bridging the knowledge gap within the sector and bringing different stakeholders together to compare problems and find answers for the significant challenges of the domain