By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
Industry
leaders and policymakers convened at the European Space Conference to discuss
the transformation of Europe’s space industrial base and the strategic
decisions required to maintain competitiveness and resilience.
The
morning panel in the Gold Hall focused on the importance of cooperation across
the value chain, from upstream manufacturing to downstream services,
emphasizing the critical role of small and medium-sized enterprises in driving
innovation, flexibility, and growth. Speakers underscored that scaling
production while strengthening resilience depends not only on industrial
capacity but also on access to skilled talent and long-term investment.
The
discussion addressed the challenge of balancing competitiveness in open markets
with European autonomy, highlighting that a strong space ecosystem is key to
ensuring Europe can act, innovate, and compete on its own terms in a divided
global landscape. Panelists agreed that reinforcing Europe’s space industrial
base is essential for economic security, technological leadership, and the
continent’s future role in space.
The
session featured Lorena Boix Alonso, Deputy Director-General of DG DEFIS at the
European Commission; Juan Tomas Hernani, President of YEESS; Miguel Ángel
Panduro, CEO of Indra Group; Gabriele Pieralli, CEO of Telespazio; Raycho
Raychev, CEO of EnduroSat; and Martin Sion, CEO of ArianeGroup. The discussion
was moderated by Jeremy Wilks, Science Correspondent at Euronews.
