Belgian Space Gathering @ MAS in Antwerp
Belgian Space Gathering
The whole Belgian space community – industry, academy and policy makers – was present at the “Belgian Space Gathering” on January 17th. The venue for this event was the top floor of the famous MAS museum in Antwerp’s historical centre.
More than 100 people attended the event, including ESA directors Eric Morel and Franco Ongaro as well as numerous high level officials representing the Flemish, federal and EU authorities involved in space. The breath-taking view on Antwerp City, a live musical performance by a local award-winning soprano and outstanding gourmet food all contributed to make this event a real success, praised by the many participants.
It was fantastic to see how this evening evolved from a celebration for the start of the New Year to an opportunity to discuss, learn to know each other and confront ideas. Creating even stronger ties between all Belgian space actors. Compared to other fields of economic activity, the Belgian space sector is relatively modest in size. Therefore, it is imperative for Belgian companies to bundle their forces in space business. This will be especially true in 2019, when the federal government has to decide on both the level of its financial commitments for space as well as the programmes to which it wants to subscribe at the ESA ministerial council.
