Luxembourg has released the first space comic book
Lucien Czuga and Dan Altmann, © LSA
The Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) has presented its first ever educational graphic novel, À la recherche d'un Luxonaute. The premiere took place on 16 July 2025 as part of Space Day at the Luxembourg Pavilion at the Osaka World Expo. Among the guests of honour were the Crown Grand Duke and Minister of Digitalisation Stéphanie Obertin.
The aim of the project is not just educational, but strategic: in the face of a global shortage of engineering talent, LSA aims to inspire young people to choose a career in aerospace, starting at an early age. And the comic book is one of the key tools.
The protagonist, the young vixen Renya, a descendant of the famous Renert from the classic Luxembourgian satire, enters a space competition in 2048 from a fictional Luxembourgian company. Her goal is to become the first Luxonaut to set foot on the surface of Mars. Together with her friend Dixx, she will face realistic challenges based on the training of real astronauts: both physical and mental.
The script was written by Lucien Czuga, author of the popular character Superjhemp and a connoisseur of the Luxembourg cultural scene. The illustrations were created by Dan Altmann, a recognised artist with a characteristically lively style. Their collaborative work is flavoured with many local allusions and satirical details, making the story both universal and deeply Luxembourgish.
In honour of the presentation in Japan, the comic was translated into Japanese, highlighting the close cooperation between Luxembourg and Japan in the field of space exploration. One of the guests at the event was Takeshi Hakamada, founder of ispace, a company active with Luxembourg entities.
According to the Minister of Economic Affairs, Lex Delles, "This book is not only entertainment, but also a tool to prepare the future. Space is not only science, it is a challenge that fires the imagination".
In Luxembourg, the book will be launched on 19 July at the International Comics Festival in Konterne, where the authors will be signing copies. From 21 July, the comic will go on sale in all bookshops and kiosks in the country at a price of 19 euros.
