The European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) joined policymakers, industry leaders and space agencies at the Berlin International Airshow (ILA) from 8 – 11 July 2026, with Director of ESPI, H. Ludwig Moeller, and experts from the Institute taking part in a packed programme of high-level discussions and events across the ILA Space Pavilion and side events.
Under this year’s theme ‘Space4Future’, ILA 2026 brought into focus the growing role of space in addressing the challenges and opportunities facing society in the decades ahead. ESPI’s participation reflected that broader ambition, with engagements spanning institutional partnerships, security, lunar exploration, autonomy and the future of European science.
Day 1: engaging with parliamentarians
The ESPI team attended the 12th International Parliamentary Day at ILA. Organised by the Parliamentary Group for Aerospace of the German Bundestag and ESPI Advisory Council member, Mr Klaus-Peter Willsch, the event brought together parliamentarians alongside representatives from the aerospace and space sectors. The programme included a guided tour offering insights into highlights of both civil and military aviation, as well as a dedicated focus on the latest European and German space activities in the ILA Space Pavilion. The annual Parliamentary Day has become an important fixture in the ILA calendar, reflecting the extent to which space and aerospace have moved to the centre of political debate in Europe.
Day 2: from security to space science
Day 2 saw ESPI take centre stage at the ILA Space Pavilion, with the Director Moeller moderating two successive panel discussions before ESPI Research Manager, Therese Jones, closed ESPI’s ILA programme.
ESPI’s first panel, From Space Services to Strategic Resilience: The Power of Interoperability, examined how navigation, communication and Earth observation capabilities must work together to underpin Europe’s strategic sovereignty. The discussion made clear that resilience is not achieved by adding more standalone systems, but by ensuring they integrate effectively — with ground segments, data infrastructures and secure services forming the connective backbone of the architecture. Germany’s strong technological capabilities were highlighted, alongside the need to anchor them more firmly within European and international frameworks to reduce dependencies and strengthen long-term resilience.
The Director Moeller then moderated Europe and the Moon: Capabilities, Contributions and Next Steps, a panel bringing together senior voices from ESA, DLR, OHB and Airbus Defence and Space to examine Europe’s role in the return to the Moon. The discussion covered key enabling technologies, contributions to international exploration efforts, and the longer-term vision for sustained lunar and eventually Mars activities, including the development of in-space infrastructure and the opportunities emerging in the post-ISS era in low Earth orbit.
ESPI’s day concluded with World-Class Space Science: From Research Missions to Orbital Infrastructure, moderated by ESPI Research Manager, Therese Jones. The panel of experts, including ESA Astronaut Alexander Gerst, explored Europe’s evolving role in space science, the transition from the ISS to new commercial stations such as Starlab, and what this means for the future of microgravity research. The discussion also considered how ground-based initiatives, including networks of science parks, can complement space-based research and strengthen Europe’s wider scientific and industrial ecosystem.
Beyond ILA: side events and workshops in Berlin
Alongside the main ILA programme, ESPI researchers took part in a number of side events during the week. The team made stops at the German Bundestag, think tanks, and other conferences to share ESPI’s work and research, including presenting a recent report on ‘China As A Space Power,’ and to engaging with German actors in Berlin.
On Tuesday 9 June, the team attended a full-day workshop at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin, organised together with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The workshop, Zeitenwende in Space? Opportunities and Challenges for Europe–Asia Space Cooperation, brought together space policy experts and policymakers from across Europe and Asia for wide-ranging discussions on space security, economic cooperation and global space governance.
H. Ludwig Moeller contributed insights on the economic opportunities shaping the Europe–Asia space relationship and delivered concluding remarks to close the day. He underlined that despite the growing commercial momentum in the sector — with SpaceX’s IPO making headlines that same week — most space companies continue to rely on public funding and contracts, making sustained public investment essential to a thriving commercial space ecosystem. He also highlighted ESPI’s distinctive role as Europe’s independent space policy think tank and its position as a bridge between Europe and Asia.
ESPI’s also attended the German-Italian Aerospace (GIAF 2026), which brought together high-ranking officials and company representatives from the German, Italian and broader European space community. The Forum had opened with a panel and networking reception at the Italian Embassy in Berlin in the evening of June 10, before continuing with a panel debate at the ILA Space Pavilion the next morning.
On 11 June, the morning opened with a panel discussion at the VDI Technologiezentrum, as part of the Space. Security. Now. session. ESPI Research Fellow Lina Pohl, seconded by DLR, joined PD Dr. Antje Nötzold from the Universität der Bundeswehr München and Marcel Taubert of secunet Security Networks AG on the panel, bringing ESPI’s perspective on the convergence of space and defence industries in Europe and Germany, and on the dynamics of commercial integration in this evolving landscape.
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