The program is updated continuously.

Day 1: Tuesday 26 November

9:00-10:00: Registration in Aulaen, Nordre Ringgade 4, 8000 Aarhus C. Light breakfast and coffe will be served.

10:00-10:15: Welcome by Dean, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Birgit Schiøtt. 

10:15-10:30: Update on the new government strategy on space research, innovation and technology by Deputy director for Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science, Annemarie Falktoft.

The national space conference in Aarhus is being held at a time of significant changes in the space sector. The question is how Denmark can become part of this development. Against the backdrop of the expected release of an ambitious government strategy for research and innovation in space, Annemarie Falktoft will provide an important part of the answer.

10:30-11:00: Panel discussion on the new government strategy on space research, innovation and technology

Following the presentation of the new strategy we will have the opportunity to have the first discussion of the potential impact and significance of the new government strategy - a discussion we expect to continue throughout the conference. Confirmed for the panel discusion:

• Mikkel Haarder, Deputy Director and Head of research, education and diversity, Danish Industry (DI)
• Lone Ryg Olsen, Director of Enterprise and Innovation, Aarhus University
• Poul Nissen, Vice Dean, Natural Sciences, AU
• Gorm Kofoed Petersen, Head of Divison, Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science

11:00-11:30: Short break

11:30-12:30: Key note speaker: Carole Mundell, Prof. ESA Director of Science: “Reach for the skies with the ESA Science Programme - big science, big business, big breakthroughs” + Q&A

12:30-13:30: Lunch

13:30-14:10: A New Generation of Danish Satellites – New Technology and New Opportunities

In the coming years, we expect to see several new Danish-led satellites launched into orbit around Earth and the Moon. Missions such as Bifrost, DISCO-2, STEP, and Máni are examples where the payload, platform, and ground segments are primarily designed and built by Danish companies, with Danish universities leading mission activities. This session will focus on future technologies and new opportunities in the Danish satellite sector.

14:10-14:45: Coffee break at Stakladen, Fredrik Nielsens Vej 2-4, 8000 Aarhus C.

14:45- 16:15: Splinter sessions at Stakladen

• Earth Observation: Advancing Climate Action, Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Agriculture
  • Earth observation is essential for deepening our understanding of global systems and processes, playing a key role in advancing sustainability efforts. By providing a broad and detailed view of our planet across various scales, EO space technology supports a wide range of applications, from agricultural optimization and climate change research to sustainable development. This splinter session will explore the latest advancements and applications of space-based EO data, focusing on how these innovations are shaping and enhancing strategies to tackle global challenges. Moderator: Rune Hylsberg Jakobsen.
    • Speakers: Associate professor Christoffer Karoff, GeoScience, Aarhus University, Assistant Professor Fabian Schneider, Biology, Aarhus University, Usue Donezar, European Environment Agency
• Defence & Security Space Session

  • Defence Session Brief

    This presentation will focus on how NATO approaches the SSA task and integrates it into military operations. It will also highlight how smaller nations, such as Denmark, contribute to SSA within the frameworks of NATO and the EU, while discussing the role of the Danish Armed Forces in this context. Additionally, the presentation will address the growing need for coordination and cooperation across Danish government ministries that rely on space-based services.

    • Speakers: Jakob Clod Asmund, Military Analyst, Center for Air- and Space Operations, Royal Danish Defence College; Jacob Edemann Jørgensen, Commander, Defence Command; Ulrik Jensen-Holm, Major, Defence Command

  • Security Session Brief

    In the second part of the session, DHI will highlight and discuss some of the recent advancements within AI and technology to establish maritime situational awareness with emphasis on the subsurface domain, monitoring of critical infrastructure and the Arctic. This implies characterization and mapping of subsurface seabed topography, seabed dynamics, tidal conditions, drift modelling for search and rescue operations as well as feature identification and tracking. We will also present and discuss possibilities for combining sensor platforms such as EO, AUV and UAVs.

    • Speakers: Michael Linden-Vørnle, Astro-physicist and Chief Consultant, DTU Space; Niels Henrik Broge, PhD, Senior Business Development Manager DHI; Mikkel Høegh Bojesen, PhD, Senior Business Development Manager DHI. 

• Building a Stronger Danish Space Ecosystem 

  Developing a strong innovation ecosystem is crucial for fostering a vibrant, sustainable, and competitive environment where deep-tech commercialization can thrive, innovation can flourish, and businesses can scale. This is particularly critical for the cross-sector commercialization of space, where the interplay between groundbreaking research, technological advancements, and market applications is both complex and rapidly evolving. 

  The space ecosystem encompasses universities (including researchers and students), businesses, entrepreneurs, government agencies, investors, and other stakeholders, such as GTS institutes and industry clusters, who are either actively engaged in space or have the potential to enter the sector. 

  This session will explore how we can strengthen the Danish space ecosystem to drive innovation and collaboration, attract investments, build capacity, and facilitate market access. Moderator: Sune Nordentoft Lauritsen

  Panelists: Peter Mandix Sehestedt, senior advisor, Division for Space, Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science, Niels Vejrup Carlsen, founder & CEO, Final Frontier venture fund, Dr. Stefan Gustafsson, ESA Commercialisation Department

• Space Science
  • Scientific space exploration is conducted through a range of targeted science missions, each essential for investigating fundamental questions about the universe. These missions vary in scale, from major international collaborations like the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes to smaller, specialized projects, such as Denmark's DISCO-2 mission, which will observe Earth with a particular focus on Greenland. This session will feature presentations on a variety of space science missions involving Danish participation, from expansive astronomical observatories (ESA and NASA) to focused explorations like the ESA Plato mission, which will survey stars and exoplanets, ESA Euclid mission that will explore the dark Universe and the ESA HERA mission, which will enter orbit around the asteroid Dimorphos in 2026. Highlights also include Denmark's student-driven DISCO mission for targeted observations in Greenland and the upcoming ESA X-ray telescope, NewAthena. Together, these missions showcase Denmark's contributions to advancing space science across a diverse array of disciplines. Moderator: Hans Kjeldsen

  • Presentations:

    • HERA mission (ESA) – Danish participation in a mission to the asteroid Dimorphos, Lars K. Alminde, GomSpace
    • DISCO-2 mission – science with a student satellite, Cecilie Thorup Strømsnes, Aarhus University
    • PLATO mission (ESA) – Danish participation in the study of stars and the search for Earth-like exoplanets, Mikkel Nørup Lund, Aarhus University
    • NewAthena (ESA) – Science and Technology onboard the next generation X-ray space telescope, Desiree Della Monica Ferreira, DTU
    • James Webb Space Telescope (ESA, NASA, CSA) – Danish activities in studies of the infrared Universe, Steven Richard Gillman, DTU
    • Euclid (ESA) - Danish activities, Sune Toft, University of Copenhagen

18:00-22:00: Conference dinner at Centralværkstedet, Værkmestergade 9, 8000 Aarhus C.:

We will enjoy a three course meal incl one drink

- Presentation by Nina Vohnsen, Anthropologist and Head of department at Anthropology, Aarhus University 

- We are again visited by Anders and Tina from the RumSnak podcast doing the conference dinner. They will test your knowledge of space research, space travel and space technology with their big RumQuiz.

Day 2: Wednesday 27 November

8:30-9:15: Coffee and light breakfast in Aulaen, Nordre Ringgade 4.

9:15-10:00: Key note speaker Andreas Mogensen, ESA astronaut. "Thoughts on Space Exploration in Denmark."

The Danish ESA-astronaut Andreas Mogensen intends to inspire participants to think big, and even beyond what is outlined in the government strategy. The presentation is a 20-minute talk followed by an interview with the moderator, including questions from the audience

10:00-10:30: Frederik Carsten Pedersen, Danish space attaché/consellor. "Developments in the EU with a special view on the Danish presidency of the Council in 2025" 

The Presidency of the Council in the EU rotates among EU member states every six months. In the second half of 2025, it will be Denmark's turn, and the space sector will likely be high on the agenda. We are therefore pleased that Denmark’s first dedicated space attaché/consellor at the Danish EU Representation in Brussels has the opportunity to participate in the conference and speak about developments in the EU's space sector and what he expects will be on the agenda during the Danish presidency"

10:30-11:00: Coffee break

11:00-11:30: Luca del Monte, Head of the Commercialisation Services Department in ESA.

The European Space Industry is in a very critical situation. Europe is at a cross-road and in risk of loosing out in the new space race. Luca will address the big challenges today and present how ESA proposes to transform ESA with the goal of regaining competitiveness and becoming more commercial

11:30-12:00: Inspiration

Christian Dalsgaard, Senior Consultant, Danish Technological Institute: "Take advantage of the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP)".

What steps are necessary to realize a full-scale Moon and Mars test and research facility? This talk will explore Denmark's potential role in bridging Europe's gap in ground analog facilities through close collaborations between universities, RTOs, and the emerging space industry. We will share insights gained from this work financially supported by ESA through the Open Space Innovation Platform (OSIP). Additionally, we will discuss the next OSIP initiative on converting Moon regolith into ink for printed electronics, advancing sustainable space exploration.”

Researcher, Julian Charles Philip Priest & lab manager, Sebastian Büttrich, IT University Copenhagen. Radiation testing space equipment at the Danish Center for Particle Therapy

(Abstract to be announced)

Associate professor Christoffer Karoff, GeoScience, Aarhus University: A collaborative hyperspectral space mission for biodiversity and ecosystem monitoring

This talk will introduce a collaborative hyperspectral satellite mission designed to advance biodiversity and ecosystem monitoring. By leveraging state-of-the-art imaging technology and expertise from leading research institutions, the mission aims to provide transformative insights into ecosystem health, resilience, and the impact of human activities, enabling more effective conservation and management strategies.

12:00-12:15: Extro - Rektor, Brian Bech Nielsen - end of the offical program

12:15- : Lunch to stay or to go

Optional workshop:

13:00-15:00: Workshop: Introduction to ESA’s mandatory technology programmes. Eike Kirscher, Head of Technology programmes at ESA.

Location: In Mogens Zieler Stuen, Fredrik Nielsens Vej 2-4, 8000 Aarhus C.

Learn about the many possibilities to start early technology developments and studies with ESA:

ESA’s Science Core Technology Programme (CTP) funds technology developments and studies at low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) to ensure early and effective preparation of ESA's future science missions. Furthermore, ESA's Discovery, Preparation and Technology Development (DPTD) fund preparatory studies and technology development to prepare for the ESA’s short- to medium-term future activities under any ESA programme. The Discovery element invites bottom up ideas for studies from universities or industry, while ESA’s launches call for tenders at higher TRL under the Preparation and Technology elements.

13:00-13:20: Discovery & Preparation  (DPTD), M. Fontaine

13:20-13:40: ESA’s Technology Development Element  (DPTD), O. Perat, E Kircher

13:40-14:00: ESA Science Future Missions and their Preparation (CTP), M. Bavdaz, S Wittig

14:00-14:20: Plenary discussions

14:20-15:00: Opportunity for Face-to-Face, F2F meetings with ESA experts

Please send an e-mail to Cecilie Tornøe ct@ufm.dk if you want to participate and take the opportunity to have a F2F meeting with ESA experts and indicate your interests.