Luxembourg plans to study the Moon

Luxembourg's Economy Minister Lex Delles' response to a parliamentary enquiry emphasises the country's role in the development of the space sector and the space resource extraction initiative. Space for Luxembourg is not only about technology, but also part of a strategy for economic diversification and creating the jobs of the future.

In December 2024, Luxembourg Space Week hosted many events, including the New Space Europe conference supported by the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA). It is important to note that this event is different from the annual Space Resources Week, organised from 2019 together with the European Space Agency (ESA).

The National Space Strategy, approved in 2022, aims to strengthen Luxembourg's role in commercial space exploration. One of the key areas is the SpaceResources.lu initiative, which supports the sustainable use of space resources and makes the country attractive to high-tech companies. In recent years, Luxembourg has seen the emergence of many promising start-ups related to the development of technologies for "space mining".

Luxembourg does not develop its own resource extraction missions, but provides a favourable environment for entrepreneurs. Collaboration with ESA and initiatives to create technologies for space mining are supported through the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC), opening in Belval in 2020.

The country is also actively involved in creating an international legal framework to regulate the use of space resources. In 2024, Luxembourg co-hosted a UN expert meeting with Belgium, bringing together representatives of the space industry and politicians from around the world.

Luxembourg became one of the first signatories of the Artemis Accords, which govern responsible and peaceful exploration of the Moon and deep space. Negotiations are underway with NASA on the country's possible participation in the Artemis programme.