On 18 June 2026, the European Space Policy Institute’s Vienna Space Diplomat (ESPI VSD) initiative held its 4th annual Summer Reception at the German Embassy in Vienna, Austria. Over 90 guests from over 50 countries attended the evening, including diplomats, representatives of international organisations, and space professionals.
The reception featured addresses by H.E. Rüdiger Bohn, Permanent Representative of Germany in Vienna; Walther Pelzer, Director General of the German Space Agency (DLR); and H. Ludwig Moeller, Director of ESPI. Speakers highlighted the importance of multilateral engagement in space affairs and the role that diplomacy plays in shaping responsible norms and sustainable frameworks for outer space activities.
"The VSD Summer Reception has become an important moment in Vienna's space diplomacy calendar. It is an opportunity to bring together a diverse and growing community around the shared conviction that international cooperation in space must be actively cultivated — and that dialogue is where that work begins."
A jam-packed week of space diplomacy in action
The reception was the culmination of over a week of VSD programming held on the sidelines of the 69th session of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Across three events at ESPI’s Vienna headquarters, the initiative brought together diplomats, policymakers, and space sector experts around some of the most pressing questions in space governance today.
Water policies enabled by space
On 15 June, ESPI co-organised an evening event with the Permanent Mission of Slovenia in Vienna, focused on the role of space-based capabilities in strengthening water management, security, and diplomacy, and on identifying concrete actions for future cooperation. The event brought together a high-level speaker line-up: Ambassador Melita Župevc, Permanent Representative of Slovenia in Vienna; Ambassador Tanja Miškova, Ambassador-at-Large for Water Diplomacy; Dr. Matthew Adepoju, Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA); Vincent Gabaglio, International Relations Officer at EUMETSAT; Matjaž Ivačič, CEO of GeoCodis; and Tomaž Rodič, Director of the Slovenian Centre of Excellence for Space Sciences and Technologies. The discussion contributed to a broader Space for Water policy agenda, drawing on perspectives from diplomacy, Earth observation, and operational space applications.
VSD Forum – Space: Challenges and Opportunities in the Century of Change
On 9 June, the VSD hosted its fourth forum of 2026, featuring Professor Anu Ojha OBE, Chief Technology Officer of the UK Space Agency. The session prompted substantive reflections on the evolving role of space in society, the economy, and international affairs, drawing on Professor Ojha’s extensive experience at the intersection of science, policy, and public engagement.
Lunar tabletop exercise
Co-organised with the Open Lunar Foundation, ESPI hosted a three-hour lunar tabletop exercise for COPUOS diplomats. Participants — hailing from Luxembourg, Switzerland, South Korea, Poland, Chile, the Maldives, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the ITU — formed teams to simulate the building of lunar infrastructure and navigate the complex challenges of operating in close proximity on the Moon. Working across scientific, commercial, and national mission scenarios, participants practised deconflicting lunar activities and built coalitions to develop emerging lunar norms. The exercise offered a practical and engaging forum for some of the world’s leading space policy experts to grapple with the governance questions that will define the next era of lunar exploration.
