Commissioner,
Per Michael,
Dear guests.
It is a true pleasure to be here in Aalborg today.
I spoke at my first space conference three years ago. A lot has happened since then. Probably not because of anything I said but generally.
In just three years, space has become even more central. Not only as a field of scientific discovery – but also as a driver for business innovation and as a cornerstone in our defence and security strategies.
This is, of course, underlined by everything that has happened in the world recently.
The times that we live in are characterised by big changes and by disruption. A new world order demands new answers from Europe.
For too long, we have been too dependent on our international partners. Too used to relying on others to lead the way, to provide the technology and to set the rules.
Instead of building our own. Instead of sharpening our own skills. Instead of acting on our own terms.
But this is changing.
Europe is increasingly taking responsibility for our own safety, for our development, for our critical technologies. For our own future. And space is a part of this picture. In fact, it is right at the centre.
The third space age
When you look at the great turning points of history – the industrial revolution, the digital revolution – space has always been part of the foundation.
A source of knowledge, navigation, communication. And today, more than ever, space is more than a field of exploration. It is a foundation for our lives on Earth.
From agriculture to aviation, from telecommunications to disaster response.
The satellites orbiting far above our heads are as important as the infrastructure beneath our feet.
We do not always see them. But without them, the world would come to a halt.
That is why space activity is not a luxury. It is a necessity.
And that is why I believe the coming decades of space science will change the face of global politics. They will shape the way we live, the way we work, the way we see ourselves as Europeans.
Europe is at the very top of today’s agenda. But I want to start a little closer to home.
Because all countries need to do their part if we are to build a strong and diverse space sector.
So, I was proud to announce earlier today that the Danish Government has proposed a new strategic space programme.
And that we propose to increase our funding to ESA to 160 million Euros or 1,2 milliard kr.
This is an investment in critical infrastructure. It is an investment in our security, in our economy, in our future place in Europe and in the world.
We all must do our part, but no one country can stand alone. Even Europe cannot stand alone in isolation.
We live in a world where conflicts and crises do not respect national borders.
And where our dependence on space has become both our strength and our vulnerability.
That truth became very clear to me a little more than one month ago, when I visited Ukraine.
In Ukraine, satellites have provided critical communications and real-time images of troop movements, of damaged infrastructure, of humanitarian needs.
Space has become part of the battlefield. And at the same time part of the shield that protects civilians.
The war in Ukraine is a reminder of how vulnerable we are if our security and our critical technology depend on others.
If it depends on private corporations and on business magnates who do not always share our values – or respect our democracies.
This is about geopolitics. It is about strategic autonomy. It is about trust. It is about making sure that Europe can stand on its own two feet in a world where power is increasingly exercised through technology.
Ukraine has reminded us all of the price of freedom and the courage it takes to defend it.
Of the sacrifices people are willing to make when everything they believe in is at stake.
Strategic autonomy
The situation in Ukraine. The dependency on Starlink. The lessons we have learned the hard way.
They all point to the same conclusion:
Europe needs a strong, robust, innovative space sector of its own.
We need satellites we control. Launch systems we trust. Companies that innovate. Researchers that push boundaries. Partnerships that are built on shared values.
When we talk about building a green transition, when we talk about securing our energy supply, when we talk about protecting our democracies.
None of this will succeed without space as a foundation.
A thriving space sector is a basic prerequisite for European strategic autonomy.
Strategic autonomy is not about isolation. It is about resilience.
It is about ensuring that European citizens can rely on secure communication, that European companies have fair access to data.
And that European democracies are not left vulnerable to technological pressure from Russia, China or from The United States.
This is all very serious, and it can sound a bit bleak when we talk about Ukraine and the threat to our continent.
But the good news is we are well on our way.
European space research and innovation play an absolutely central role in the development of critical infrastructure and in creating the technological solutions we need.
Many of you here today already play a part in a growing European space sector – whether it be as scientists, business owners or policy makers.
And we need to keep going. We cannot afford to fall behind.
The pace of development is spectacular. If Europe hesitates, we risk being reduced to an audience. Watching as others set the course.
At the same time, we must choose our partners wisely. Because space is about science. It is about security. About values. About who we are willing to entrust with the tools that shape our future.
That is why I welcome the prospect of an EU space act. A Competitiveness Fund that continues and expands the flagship components from the European space programme. And an industrial strategy for our space sector.
They are an important foundation for the European space sector. And they send an important signal. A signal that Europe is ready to take responsibility.
We are standing at the threshold of the third space age. An age where space is no longer reserved for a few superpowers. It is a shared frontier for all who dare to reach for it.
I would like to end on a quote from the British physicist, Steven Hawking.
He said – and I quote:
“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet”.
The future belongs to those who dare to lift their gaze.
To those who believe that knowledge, innovation and curiosity can carry us further than fear and hesitation ever will.
So Europe needs to look up. Together we can make sure that the next chapter of the space age is written with our values, our vision and based on our innovation.
Thank you.