ESA title
Back to Index French German Italian Spanish
Agency

N° 23–2024: Media invitation: Space Council and associated events, 22-23 May 2024

14 May 2024

Media are invited to join ministers of ESA Member States, the ESA Executive and ministers from the EU Council to discuss the future of Europe in space on 22-23 May in Brussels.

The ESA-led events on Wednesday 22 May will feature significant announcements including the first two mission assignments of ESA astronauts from the class of 2022.

Additionally, they will showcase the outcomes of the previous Space Summit in Seville, including the signing of the Low Earth Orbit Cargo Return Service contract and the Zero Debris Charter. A major industry contract for ESA’s new Vigil space weather mission will be presented.

A second set of images from Euclid, ESA’s ambitious astronomy mission to map the dark Universe, will also be unveiled.

On 23 May, a concluding press conference will be held, chaired by the Belgian EU Presidency, State Secretary Thomas Dermine, and the German ESA Ministerial Council Chair, Federal Aerospace Coordinator Anna Christmann, with ESA Director General, Josef Aschbacher, and EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton (tbc).

Media Programme

Wednesday 22 May at Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Brussels

  • 17:15-18:00 (doors open to media from 16:30) 

Briefing with ESA DG Josef Aschbacher, ESA Delegations, Directors, Industry and further VIP partners

  • Presentation of first two mission assignments of ESA astronauts from class of 2022
  • Signing of Low Earth Orbit Cargo Return Service contract
  • Signing of Zero Debris Charter
  • Celebration of industry contract for new Vigil space weather mission

18:00-19:00

  • Community event and social reception (Press attendance possible, ESA/BELSPO/EU event)
  • Prize Ceremony – European Space Ultra Challenge 2024 (BELSPO event)
  • Celebration of the 20th anniversary of the EU/ESA Framework Agreement – highlights of ESA/EU collaboration + cocktail

Thursday 23 May at the EU Council Europa Building, Brussels

  • EU Competitiveness (Space) Council
  • ESA Council at ministerial Level
  • Common Space Council (joint meeting of EU and ESA Councils)

13:30-14:00 (doors open to media from 13:00)

Concluding ESA-EU Press conference after Space Council (in nearby Justus Lipsius building, Zoom link possible too) with

  • Belgian EU Presidency, Federal State Secretary for Research, Thomas Dermine
  • EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Thierry Breton (tbc)
  • German ESA Ministerial Council Chair, Federal Aerospace Coordinator Anna Christmann
  • ESA Director General, Josef Aschbacher

Media opportunities

22 May - Media presence throughout the afternoon

23 May - Press conference following the Space Council (no possibility to enter the Space Council meeting itself) Additionally, several activities will be streamed online both days via ESA Web TV, including the ESA Council and Space Council, all signing events, the announcement of new astronaut assignments, and the reveal of Euclid astronomy images.

Venues

22 May: Royal Museum of Fine Arts, Auditorium, Place du Musée, 1000 Brussels, Belgium

23 May: Justus Lipsius Building, Rue de la Loi 175, 1000 Brussels, Belgium (close to Europa building)

Media registration

Please be advised that separate registrations are required for the two distinct events occurring on 22 May and 23 May.

22 May: For the activities scheduled on 22 May, media are kindly requested to register using the following link: Space Ministerial Meetings (lyyti.fi) no later than 20 May.

23 May: To attend – or follow remotely (via Zoom) – the EU-ESA Space Council and associated events on 23 May, media are invited to register via ESA forms by 21 May 12:00 CEST 2024 at the latest for on-site or remote attendance. Please note that the registration list will be shared with the EU Council press centre for coordination purposes.

For further information

ESA Newsroom and Media Relations Office Email: media@esa.int Bernhard von Weyhe (bernhard.von.weyhe@esa.int) and Camille Bello (camille.bello@ext.esa.int)

Press Office for Competitiveness Councils (EU Council Press Office) Ferran Tarradellas Espuny (ferran.tarradellas-espuny@consilium.europa.eu)

If you want to receive ESA Press Releases via email, please use the following form to be added to the distribution list: Sign up form to receive ESA Press Releases

Social media

Follow ESA on:

Images

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images

Terms and conditions for using ESA images: www.esa.int/spaceinimages/ESA_Multimedia/Copyright_Notice_Images

For questions or more information related to ESA images, please contact directly spaceinimages@esa.int.

Videos https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos

Terms and conditions for using ESA videos: https://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Terms_and_Conditions

For questions or more information related to ESA videos, please contact directly spaceinvideos@esa.int.

 

About the European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.

ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.

ESA has 22 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia are Associate Members.

ESA has established formal cooperation with four Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.

By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions. Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int