From the exploration of space to the business of space

Det talte ord gælder.

Your Majesty.

Dear everyone.

Let me begin with a story. A story about a man who set out on a journey without knowing exactly what lay ahead.

He knew where he wanted to go. He just didn’t know what he would encounter along the way.

Storms. Monsters. Sirens. Unexpected detours. As you may have figured out – it is the story about Odysseus and his journey. A journey that took far longer than he had planned.

In many ways, that is not a bad metaphor for our journey into space.

Because we are also setting out into unknown territory where we do not have all the answers. We cannot predict every breakthrough. We cannot foresee every challenge. And we certainly cannot know exactly what space will bring us ten or twenty years from now.

But we do know one thing. We have to set sail.

For many years, we travelled into space to explore what was out there. To conduct scientific missions and to strengthen our strategic capabilities. And we will continue to do that.

But space is now also an engine for innovation, for new products, new markets and new business models.

Let me give you an example.

During his mission to the ISS, Andreas Mogensen installed a 3D metal printer to test how 3D printing works in weightlessness.

It may sound like a small experiment. But the knowledge gained from it could eventually allow astronauts to produce spare metal parts and equipment directly in space –  even spare parts for the astronauts themselves – making long-duration missions more sustainable and less dependent on supplies from Earth.

And this is exactly where the future of space becomes interesting.

The next great space adventure may not begin in a company that builds rockets or satellites. It may begin in medicine. In climate technology. In defence. In food. In digitalisation. Or in a field that does not even have a name yet.

But no one navigates an unknown journey alone. Odysseus needed a crew, and so do we. The strength of our space ambitions will depend not only on the technology we develop, but on the people and organisations we bring together.

Denmark already has many of the ingredients. We have strong research institutions. We have innovative companies. We have expertise in green technology, life sciences and digitalisation. And we have a long tradition of working across disciplines and sectors.

But Denmark is a small country. And Europe, even collectively, is operating and growing in a global space economy where the scale is enormous. We cannot do everything ourselves. But we can do far more together.

That is why European cooperation matters. And that is why institutions such as ESA are so important. They show what Europe can achieve when we combine our capabilities and our knowledge in a joint ambition. In some areas, Europe is already at the very forefront of space. We should be proud of that. But we should also be ambitious about what comes next.

And this brings me back to Odysseus.

Perhaps the most important lesson from his journey is not that he encountered monsters or sirens. It is that he had to navigate. He had to make choices. He had to change course when circumstances changed. That is somewhat similar to the world today. 

We do not need to know exactly what the future of space will look like. But we do need to make sure that we have a say in shaping it.

Europe must not simply adapt to a space economy created by others. We must help create it ourselves. And shape the infrastructure and standards that will define the next generation of space activity. In other words:

Europe needs a hand on the rudder.

So, over the next two days, as you discuss new missions, new technologies and new business opportunities, I hope you will ask yourselves a few questions.

Where are the opportunities we cannot yet see? Which obstacles could prevent us from reaching them? Which partnerships will help us navigate them?

Space is not a place for those who demand certainty. It is a place for those who are willing to create it.

So let us set sail. And let us make sure that Europe is helping to chart the course.

Thank you.