Minister of Economy Franz Fayot and Minister of Higher Education and Research Claude Meisch presented the concept of the future Space Campus, whose goal is to create specific geographic areas in Luxembourg exclusively dedicated to space-related activities to ensure the competitive position of companies and public research organizations in this field.
The new infrastructure, for which the groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 2024, will be built in accordance with best practices in environmental protection, urban mobility and human well-being. The first buildings are expected to be operational in 2026. “Ultimately, the campus aims to become the center of gravity of the Luxembourg space ecosystem,” stated Minister Fayot. “It will be the tangible expression of the investment of the country in general and of the Ministry of the Economy in particular in this area and will strengthen the visibility as well as the attractiveness of the Grand Duchy on the national, European and international scene.”
Two space campus sites
The campus will be hosted at two sites, one focusing on companies and the other on public space research. The main site (7 hectares) will be located in Kockelscheuer close to Luxembourg City. It will focus on high-tech activities and will house the headquarters of the Luxembourg Space Agency as well as activities directly linked to companies. This unique infrastructure integrates office space, shared technical infrastructure (including a test centre with a surface area of 3,000m2) for companies and an incubator to host start-ups.
The second site in Belval with an area of 69 ares – with the possibility of eventually occupying 1.9 hectares – will be located next to the University of Luxembourg. The Belval site will bring together the space research activities and laboratories of the Interdisciplinary Center for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) and the European Space Resource Innovation Center (ESRIC). Most of the space research activities will be concentrated in Belval within the Cité des Sciences creating the best possible conditions for the emergence of future synergies.
Today, Luxembourg is home to about 75 companies and research laboratories active in the space sector and employs nearly 1,200 people.
Photo: ©SIP / Jean-Christophe Verhaegen