The European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) announced the winners of its Essay Competition at Space Debate Europe 2026 with an award ceremony, featuring the two winning submissions in the programme, providing a platform for inputs from the next generation in the policy dialogue at the conference.
The Essay Competition invites students and young professionals aged 18 to 35 to submit original policy analysis, in the format of a short policy brief, on current issues in European space policy. This year’s applicants were asked to respond to one of three questions: how space capabilities can strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty, how space technologies can deliver societal benefits for European citizens, or an open question on emerging priorities for Europe’s future in space.
The two winners of the ESPI Essay Competition 2026 are:
Sara Fernández, with her essay “Sovereign Satellites, Fragmented Shields: Closing the EU Space Act’s Cybersecurity Gap for European Digital Sovereignty”
We tend to imagine space security as something that happens in orbit, but the 2022 Viasat attack reached its targets through a supplier on the ground. I chose this topic because European digital sovereignty will only ever be as resilient as the least protected operator in the space value chain, and the window to fix that closes once the EU Space Act reaches trilogue.
Stefanie Gottschalk, with her essay “From Dialogue to Structure: The Case for EU-Korea Space Security Cooperation”
Space is a global domain, and cooperation with trusted partners is essential. By bringing Europe and the Republic of Korea closer together, we can share expertise, better protect critical space services, and work towards a safe and sustainable use of space.
As winners, Fernández and Gottschalk received full access to Space Debate Europe in Madrid.
Find the details of the 2026 edition, including submission guidelines here.
