Belgium’s Space Boom: From Small Nation to Satellite Powerhouse

Key Facts at a Glance

• Top ESA Contributor: Belgium is a founding member of the European Space Agency (ESA) and in 2024 contributed €296 million (5th largest among ESA countries) diplomatie.belgium.be. For 2025 its ESA contribution is projected at €284.7 million, about 5.6% of ESA’s budget discoveringbelgium.com – one of the highest per-capita space investments worldwide.
• High-Tech Job Engine: The Belgian space sector employs around 6,500 people full-time belspo.be, with ~400 companies, universities, and labs involved in ESA contracts worth ~€1 billion (2015–2021) belspo.be. Key industrial clusters (Belgospace, Flanders Space/VRI, Wallonie Espace, BAG) support thousands of high-value jobs. Wallonia’s space cluster alone counts ~5,500 direct jobs and €1.4 billion annual revenue discoveringbelgium.com.
• Major Players: Belgium’s industry punches above its weight in niche specialties. Thales Alenia Space Belgium (700+ employees) is a world leader in satellite power electronics – its equipment has flown on 200+ satellites and provides about 50% of Ariane 5’s avionics thalesgroup.com. SABCA has delivered 100% of the thrust vector control systems on Europe’s Ariane and Vega launchers since the very first Ariane flight sabca.be. Safran Aero Boosters (Liège, ~2,000 staff) supplies critical fuel valves for Ariane 5/6 rocket engines and is a partner in next-gen propulsion programs skywin.be. QinetiQ Space (now Redwire Space NV) built ESA’s PROBA microsatellites and is integrating the two-satellite Proba-3 formation mission diplomatie.belgium.be. Space Applications Services (Brussels) operates the first European commercial research facility on ISS (ICE Cubes) en.wikipedia.org and is developing an astronaut exercise device for the Lunar Gateway spaceapplications.com. Aerospacelab (Ottignies & Charleroi) is a NewSpace rising star – it just raised €94 million in 2025 brusselstimes.com to build Europe’s largest satellite “megafactory” capable of 500 satellites/year brusselstimes.com aerospacelab.com.
• Strategic Focus Areas: Belgium has carved out strong domains in Earth observation, small satellites, satellite communications, launcher components, and space electronics belspo.be. For example, Belgian expertise in global vegetation monitoring led to the Proba-V mission and contributions to the EU Copernicus program. Its companies supply key parts of Galileo navigation satellites and ground infrastructure (e.g. ESA’s Redu Center hosts a Galileo antenna for signal monitoring diplomatie.belgium.be). Defense and security applications of space are growing, with Belgium contracting secure satcom services for its armed forces airbus.com and recognizing space as an “operational domain” critical to national security aerospacelab.com.
• Recent Milestones: In 2024–25, Belgium’s space profile has soared. It signed the Artemis Accords for responsible Moon exploration (Jan 2024) space.com space.com, affirming its commitment to international lunar missions. ESA selected Belgian astronaut Raphaël Liégeois (the nation’s 3rd astronaut) for future ISS missions diplomatie.belgium.be. A Belgian-built instrument helped launch ESA’s Euclid space telescope in 2023 flandersspace.be. And despite political budget pressures, industry groups are lobbying to sustain funding, aiming to double the sector by 2030 amid Europe’s New Space boom.

Historical Evolution: From Early Collaborator to ESA Pillar

Belgium’s journey in space began in the 1960s, making it one of the earliest European nations involved in space endeavors diplomatie.belgium.be. In 1962 the government formed Belgospace, an industry-academia forum to coordinate Belgium’s participation in Europe’s first space organizations (ELDO for launchers and ESRO for science satellites) switchtospace.org. Belgium became a founding member of ESA in 1975 and embraced a multilateral approach – recognizing that pooling resources was the way for a small country to achieve big goals in space diplomatie.belgium.be. Over decades, Belgium honed specific strengths rather than trying to do everything. Early on, Belgian firms contributed equipment to ESA’s first satellites and launchers. By the 1980s and 90s, Belgium was a key player in Ariane rocket development (providing structures and control systems) and in European science missions.

A proud moment came in 1992 when Dirk Frimout became the first Belgian in space as a NASA Shuttle payload specialist. He was followed by Frank De Winne, who flew to the International Space Station twice and even commanded the ISS in 2009 – a testament to Belgium’s growing role discoveringbelgium.com discoveringbelgium.com. These human spaceflight milestones boosted public interest and underscored the nation’s capabilities. Belgium also invested in national micro-satellites: the PROBA series (Project for On-Board Autonomy) were innovative small satellites built by Verhaert (now QinetiQ/Redwire) in Flanders. Proba-1 (launched 2001) tested new tech, Proba-2 (2009) carried space weather sensors, Proba-V (2013) monitored global vegetation, and the upcoming Proba-3 will perform a solar coronagraph experiment with two spacecraft flying in precision formation diplomatie.belgium.be. These missions showcased Belgian engineering on the world stage and fed into larger ESA programs.

Belgium also ensured it contributed to Europe’s flagship projects. It has been heavily involved in Galileo, the EU’s satellite navigation system – from atomic clock components to hosting a Galileo ground station in Redu, Belgium, where a 20-m antenna tests and monitors Galileo signals en.m.wikipedia.org en.m.wikipedia.org. Under the European Copernicus Earth observation program, Belgium’s researchers and companies develop satellite instruments and data systems (for example, Belgian institute VITO processes Proba-V and Copernicus images of vegetation). This historical strategy of contributing niche expertise (like radar electronics, optical sensors, propulsion valves) to multinational projects has paid off: it gave Belgium a reliable “ticket” into virtually every major European space mission.

Today Belgium is frequently referred to as a “space nation” by its leaders diplomatie.belgium.be. It has no NASA-like standalone agency, but the Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO) centrally manages space policy and programs discoveringbelgium.com. BELSPO’s consistent support since the 1960s, guided by principles of scientific excellence, societal benefit, and industrial return diplomatie.belgium.be diplomatie.belgium.be, has cemented Belgium’s reputation as a core ESA contributor and innovation hub. The country’s long track record means that by the 2020s, Belgium is not a minor player but a recognized pillar of the European space enterprise – often punching above its weight in technology and influence.

Major Companies and Organizations Driving the Sector

Belgium’s space ecosystem is a close-knit network of companies, research institutes, and public bodies that collaborate extensively. Key organizations include:

• Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO): The federal agency in charge of space policy and funding. BELSPO coordinates Belgium’s national programs and ESA participation, aiming to balance scientific research, societal utility, and industrial/economic interests discoveringbelgium.com. It chooses projects strategically to strengthen Belgium’s industrial niches (e.g. ensuring developments for ESA lead to recurring commercial products) belspo.be belspo.be. BELSPO also runs national R&D programs like STEREO (Earth observation research) belspo.be and authorizes any space activities under Belgian jurisdiction per the national Space Law (2005, updated 2013) diplomatie.belgium.be.
• Industry Associations:Belgospace (founded 1962) is the umbrella association of Belgian space companies and research centers switchtospace.org. It serves as a forum to align industry strategy and speak with one voice to government. Regionally, Flanders Space (VRI), Wallonie Espace, and the Brussels Aerospace & Defence Group (BAG) unite players in Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels respectively discoveringbelgium.com discoveringbelgium.com. These groups report strong growth – for instance, Wallonie Espace members generate €1.4 billion revenue and 5,500 jobs as noted, indicating the economic weight of space in southern Belgium discoveringbelgium.com. In 2024, the Benelux associations (VRI, Wallonie Espace, BAG, and SpaceNed in the Netherlands) even signed a cooperation MoU to form a joint “Benelux space ecosystem” for R&D and defense applications flandersspace.be flandersspace.be. This spirit of collaboration (even across borders) is key in Belgium’s industry culture.
• Research Institutes & Academia: Belgium’s universities (KU Leuven, UCLouvain, UGent, ULiège, ULB, VUB, etc.) contribute cutting-edge research and often develop instruments for missions belspo.be. Specialized centers are internationally renowned, such as the Centre Spatial de Liège (CSL) – expert in optical space instrument design/testing, the Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB) – which does astronomy, geodesy and even manages a Planetarium belspo.be, the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB) – which built atmospheric sensors for Mars and Venus missions belspo.be, and the Von Karman Institute (VKI) – providing wind tunnels and re-entry simulations for spacecraft. Government labs like the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) and Royal Institute of Natural Sciences also join space projects (e.g. weather satellite data, planetary geology) belspo.be. Importantly, Belgium hosts the B.USOC (Belgian User Support and Operations Centre) that operates certain experiments on the International Space Station from Brussels belspo.be. This academic-corporate synergy means Belgian scientists and engineers are deeply embedded in mission teams worldwide.
• Major Space Companies: Several high-tech companies form the backbone of the Belgian space industry (see table below). Notably, Thales Alenia Space Belgium (formerly ETCA) in Charleroi and Leuven is the country’s largest space contractor, specializing in satellite power conditioning, distribution and electronics. It has delivered power units for nearly every large European satellite and 50% of the electronic systems on the Ariane 5 launcher thalesgroup.com. Another giant, SABCA, based in Brussels and Hainaut, is a leader in aerospace structures and control systems – it builds the thrust vector actuators that steer rockets like Ariane 5/6 and Vega sabca.be, along with interstage structures and aerospace components. Safran Aero Boosters (Herstal) brings Belgian expertise to rocket engines: it provides critical turbopump valves and regulators for the main Vulcain and Vinci engines of Ariane, and is involved in new engines (Prometheus, Vega-E’s M10) in partnership with France’s ArianeGroup skywin.be. On the satellite side, QinetiQ Space in Kruibeke (now part of Redwire) made history with the PROBA minisatellites and continues to supply complete small satellites and mission equipment (e.g. a Redwire facility in Belgium built the optical baffle for ESA’s Euclid space telescope launched in 2023 flandersspace.be). Spacebel (Liège & Brussels) is another veteran – a software engineering firm known for mission control and simulation software for satellites. AMOS (Liège) makes advanced telescopes and optical systems for both Earth observation and astronomy. Aerospacelab and newer startups represent the NewSpace wave – bringing more entrepreneurial, constellation-driven approaches. We’ll explore Aerospacelab separately below given its rapid rise.

To summarize the landscape, here is a snapshot of some key Belgian space companies and their specialties:

Company	Focus Area	Notable Contributions
Thales Alenia Space Belgium	Satellite electronics & avionics	Power conditioning units on ~200 satellites; ~50% of Ariane 5 electronics thalesgroup.com; building power electronics for NASA’s Lunar Gateway thalesaleniaspace.com.
SABCA	Launcher systems & aerospace structures	All thrust vector control (TVC) systems for Ariane & Vega launchers since Ariane 1 sabca.be; actuator systems for rocket stages and fins.
Safran Aero Boosters	Rocket engine components	Propellant flow valves for Vulcain 2 and Vinci engines (Ariane 5/6) skywin.be; partner in future European engines (Prometheus, Vega-E M10).
Redwire Space NV <br/>(ex-QinetiQ Space)	Small satellites & payloads	Prime contractor for ESA’s Proba micro-sat series diplomatie.belgium.be; delivered the Euclid space telescope baffle flandersspace.be; testing Proba-3 satellites in BE before 2024 launch diplomatie.belgium.be.
Space Applications Services	Human spaceflight systems & services	Operates the ICE Cubes facility on ISS (first European commercial ISS lab) en.wikipedia.org; developing a novel astronaut exercise device for Lunar Gateway (due 2028) spaceapplications.com; runs Belgian USOC for ISS experiments.
Aerospacelab	SmallSat manufacturing & geospatial data	Building a 17,000 m² megafactory in Charleroi (operational 2025) to mass-produce up to 500 satellites/year aerospacelab.com; developing earth observation constellations (e.g. for defense, agriculture). Recently raised €94 million in Series B funding brusselstimes.com brusselstimes.com to accelerate growth.
Spacebel	Space software & IT	Mission control software for ESA (e.g. PROBA platform); contributed to simulator for European Service Module on Orion; involved in EO data systems for Copernicus.
AMOS (Advanced Mechanical & Optical Systems)	Optical instruments & telescopes	Built instruments for satellites (e.g. PROBA-V’s Vegetation camera lens system) and large ground telescopes; specializes in ultra-precise optics and space camera mechanisms.

This rich mix of actors is buttressed by the Belgian Aerospace cluster’s links to international primes: many foreign space companies have branches in Belgium or partner with Belgian suppliers. For example, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, and others source technology here ensun.io. The industry’s international orientation is reflected in its export ratio – a large majority of Belgian space products are for programs abroad (ESA, EU or commercial customers worldwide). Belgospace estimates that participation in ESA programs significantly boosts members’ innovation, market share and turnover via international contracts belspo.be belspo.be. In short, a collaborative and globally networked approach is the hallmark of Belgium’s space industry.

Government Policy, Funding and Support (Civil & Defense)

Belgium’s government has consistently treated space as a strategic, high-tech sector warranting public support. The country’s space policy is anchored on four pillars: scientific research, societal utility, industrial development, and economic interest diplomatie.belgium.be. BELSPO, as noted, orchestrates this at the federal level. Without a dedicated “space agency,” Belgium leverages ESA and EU programs as extensions of its national strategy – a pragmatic choice that gives Belgian researchers and firms access to ambitious missions while spreading costs multilaterally diplomatie.belgium.be.

A cornerstone of policy is funding ESA optional programs that align with national strengths. For example, Belgium heavily invests in ESA’s Earth observation, telecommunication, and technology R&D programs, ensuring local companies get development contracts in those areas belspo.be belspo.be. This deliberate use of ESA’s “juste retour” procurement has grown Belgium’s capabilities. In 2022 at ESA’s Ministerial Council, Belgium pledged robust contributions to areas like the Moon (European Exploration) and secure communications, signaling its intent to remain a top-five investor in ESA. Such funding yields tangible returns: between 2015 and 2020, Belgian entities won €746 million in ESA contracts – nearly matching Belgium’s input and stimulating the domestic economy belspo.be.

Politically, support for space has been bipartisan due to its high-tech jobs and prestige. Even so, there are challenges: after the 2024 elections, a new government considered belt-tightening. Industry groups warned that budget cuts could jeopardize Belgium’s influence in ESA and cause a “brain drain” of talent discoveringbelgium.com discoveringbelgium.com. At present, Belgium remains one of ESA’s biggest contributors per GDP, but the community is advocating to at least maintain ~€300M/year funding to keep Belgium “at the table” of flagship missions discoveringbelgium.com discoveringbelgium.com. As a Belgospace official put it, sustained investment is vital to “keep Belgium reaching for the stars.” discoveringbelgium.com

On the legislative side, Belgium was early to adopt a national Space Law (2005, updated 2013) to regulate space operations under its jurisdiction diplomatie.belgium.be. This law requires any company launching a satellite or providing space services from Belgium to obtain a license and accept liability rules diplomatie.belgium.be. It essentially created a safe legal environment, encouraging companies (even foreign) to set up activities in Belgium. In 2024, during Belgium’s EU Council Presidency, the government championed development of an EU Space Law as well diplomatie.belgium.be. The idea is to harmonize regulations across Europe, a move Belgium supports to level the playing field (Belgium’s own law can then serve as a model, giving it a leadership role in shaping European norms) diplomatie.belgium.be. This proactive stance in space governance underscores Belgium’s commitment to a stable, secure space environment.

Belgium’s space policy also increasingly spans security and defense. As NATO and the EU have identified space as critical infrastructure, Belgium has been integrating space into its defense strategy. The Defense Ministry does not (yet) operate dedicated military satellites, but it leverages partnerships. In 2023, Belgium signed a 15-year contract with Airbus to provide tactical UHF satellite communications for Belgian Armed Forces using a hosted payload launching in 2024 airbus.com airbus.com. This gives Belgian forces secure communications over Europe, Africa and beyond via a shared satellite service, illustrating a cost-effective approach to milsatcom. Belgian defense also accesses Earth observation data from allies and EU systems (e.g. the EU’s GovSatCom initiative and Copernicus security services). The government has signaled interest in areas like Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and satellite navigation for military use. A 2024 Benelux agreement explicitly calls out cooperation in “space, security and defence” applications – from using space data for protecting critical infrastructure to developing joint capabilities flandersspace.be.

Top officials have been vocal about space’s role in security. “Space is to be understood as an operational domain… contributing to the national security strategy,” said Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder, emphasizing that concentrating cutting-edge space engineering in Belgium ensures the country remains among Europe’s strategic players aerospacelab.com. The presence of Belgium’s General Security Service at ESA’s Redu Centre (now the European Space Security & Education Centre, ESEC) is another sign – Redu is expanding as a cybersecurity and satellite control hub for Europe diplomatie.belgium.be. Belgium is also part of the EU’s upcoming IRIS² secure connectivity constellation (2023–2027) which will provide encrypted comms for governments; Belgian industry is eyeing contracts in that program belspo.be. In sum, while Belgium’s space activities have been predominantly civil, the civil-military synergies are growing. This is recognized at NATO (Brussels hosts NATO HQ, which now has a Space Centre of Excellence with Belgian support) and in bilateral projects (e.g. Belgium partnering with France on SPIRALE early-warning satellites data, etc.).

Finally, international diplomacy is a facet of Belgium’s space policy. The Foreign Ministry actively engages in UN COPUOS and championed the Artemis Accords, which Belgium signed in January 2024 space.com space.com. By joining the U.S.-led Artemis framework for Moon exploration, Belgium signaled its values of peaceful cooperation and opened doors for its industry in NASA’s return-to-Moon plans. “Our country is one of the world leaders in space exploration… The Artemis Accords will open new economic opportunities for our companies, which have world-renowned expertise,” said Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib at the signing space.com space.com. This statement captures how Belgium sees space: as both a diplomatic arena and a driver of innovation that bolsters its economy and international standing.

Academic and R&D Ecosystem Fueling Innovation

Belgium’s vibrant academic sector is integral to its space success, continually injecting new ideas and talent. Virtually every major university hosts space-related departments or labs. For example, KU Leuven and UCLouvain have aerospace engineering research groups; the University of Liège (ULiège) is famed for astrophysics and its Center Spatial de Liège (CSL) which has built instruments for missions like Herschel and ESA’s comet probe Rosetta. Belgian researchers often operate at low Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) in ESA projects – meaning they work on advanced concepts and prototypes belspo.be. This fundamental research is then translated by industry into real mission hardware, creating a pipeline from academia to application.

Several federal scientific institutes specialize in space domains:

• The Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB) is known for space science research in astronomy, solar physics, and geodesy belspo.be. It hosts the International GNSS Service’s European reference frame and contributed algorithms to Galileo’s timing system. ROB scientists are co-investigators on missions like Solar Orbiter and are coordinating the science team for Proba-3’s solar coronagraph.
• The Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB) conducts atmospheric studies of Earth and other planets belspo.be. BIRA built the UV spectrometer “SPICAM” on ESA’s Mars Express and co-led the NOMAD instrument on ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (launched 2016) to sniff methane on Mars. They also developed an instrument for NASA’s Parker Solar Probe to study the solar wind. This shows how Belgian R&D finds its way into top-tier missions.
• VKI (Von Karman Institute) for fluid dynamics offers unique facilities for aerospace testing. It has hypersonic wind tunnels and plasma wind tunnels used to test re-entry vehicles and thermal shielding. VKI participated in the design of ESA’s IXV reentry demonstrator and is working on the upcoming Space Rider reusable spaceplane’s aerothermodynamics.
• SCK CEN (Belgian Nuclear Research Center) has a Space Radiation lab that studies cosmic radiation effects – crucial for astronaut safety and satellite electronics. They fly experiments on ISS to test radiation shielding materials.
• VITO (Flemish Institute for Technological Research) is a leader in remote sensing applications. It processes the PROBA-V and Sentinel satellite imagery for land use and vegetation monitoring. VITO’s “Terrascope” platform distributes Copernicus data to Belgian users, and it’s innovating in hyperspectral imaging (preparing for ESA’s CHIME mission for agriculture).

Collaboration among these institutes and industry is often formalized through projects funded by BELSPO’s programs. One flagship is STEREO (Support to Earth Observation Research), which funds Belgian teams to develop applications from satellite data belspo.be – ranging from crop yield forecasting to flood risk mapping for development aid. Another is participation in EU Horizon programs: Belgian universities won dozens of Horizon 2020/Europe grants related to space, such as developing AI for satellite autonomy or new materials for space propulsion.

The academic ecosystem also nurtures the next generation. Belgium has numerous space education initiatives (summer schools, student CubeSat projects, etc.). University of Liège students built OUFTI-1, Belgium’s first student CubeSat, launched in 2016 to test a digital communications payload. The country regularly sends student teams to ESA’s Rocket and Balloon experiments. And events like Belgian Space Week (e.g. in Namur, Oct 2024 unamur.be) and Switch to Space conferences encourage young people to pursue STEM careers in space. This talent pipeline is crucial as the sector grows – companies often hire directly from these university programs.

In short, Belgium’s academia plays a dual role: performing world-class space science/engineering research and converting that into practical innovation through partnerships with industry. The feedback loop is evident – for instance, CSL Liège builds a prototype imager in the lab, which a company like OIP Sensor Systems then industrializes for an Earth observation satellite. With this ecosystem, Belgium manages to “punch above its weight” scientifically, often leading or contributing disproportionately to mission science teams relative to its size. The strong showing of Belgian astronomers, planetary scientists, and engineers in European missions (some even serving as Principal Investigators) attests to the country’s research prowess.

Current Projects, Missions and International Collaborations

Belgium is currently involved in a plethora of cutting-edge space projects, reflecting its established niches and new ambitions. A few highlights:

• Ariane 6 and Vega-C: As Europe’s new launch vehicles come online, Belgian tech is on board. SABCA developed the Thrust Vector Control mechanisms for Ariane 6’s core stage (electromechanical actuators steering the Vulcain 2.1 engine) researchgate.net and for Vega-C’s improved stages jema-power.com. Safran Aero Boosters supplies valves and also helps develop the Prometheus reusable engine prototype (a potential Ariane successor) skywin.be. This ensures Belgium remains a core contributor to Europe’s independent access to space. The inaugural Ariane 6 launch (expected 2024) will be a milestone demonstrating these contributions in action.
• Galileo & EGNOS: Belgium continues deep involvement in Europe’s navigation systems. At Galileo’s control centers, Belgian engineers (e.g. from Space Applications Services and Vitrociset BE) help run operations. In Belgium’s Ardennes, ESA’s Redu station tests each Galileo satellite after launch using its 20-m L-band antenna en.m.wikipedia.org. This In-Orbit Testing ensures Galileo signals meet specs, a role Redu has played since the first Galileo launch. Additionally, the EGNOS augmentation system (to improve GPS/Galileo accuracy for aviation) has a ground station in Belgium. Belgian industry is gearing up to bid on payloads for the Galileo Second Generation satellites (scheduled late 2020s), leveraging their electronics heritage.
• Copernicus Sentinels: Belgian firms have built components for the EU’s Copernicus Earth observation satellites. For example, OIP and CSL contributed optics to the Sentinel-4 and Sentinel-5 atmospheric sensors. Belgian company SPACEBEL is developing the on-board software for the CHIME hyperspectral imaging mission (led by ESA with Belgian co-funding). On the applications side, Belgian scientists use Sentinel data for climate research, and the government provides open-access Copernicus services to local users. This dual role (hardware + downstream services) maximizes Belgium’s benefit from Copernicus.
• Science Missions: Belgium is a key player in several ESA science missions recently launched or upcoming. In 2022, ESA’s James Webb Telescope calibration involved Belgian astronomers from KU Leuven (contributing to the MIRI instrument). The Euclid cosmology telescope (launched 2023) features a structural component – the baffle – built by Redwire’s Belgian team flandersspace.be to shield its telescope from stray light. The JUICE mission to Jupiter (launched 2023) carries Belgian-co-developed sensors for analyzing Jupiter’s magnetosphere (BIRA and UCLouvain contributed). Later in 2024, Proba-3 – an ESA mission led by Belgium – will launch two small satellites that will fly 144 m apart to create an artificial solar eclipse, allowing unprecedented imaging of the Sun’s corona esa.int flandersspace.be. Redwire Space NV in Kruibeke is the prime contractor integrating these two satellites diplomatie.belgium.be, which underscores Belgium’s ability to lead an entire ESA science mission (a rare honor for a smaller country).
• Lunar Gateway & Artemis: Through ESA, Belgium is contributing to NASA’s return to the Moon. Thales Alenia Space Belgium won a contract to supply the Remote Interface Unit and amplifier electronics for Gateway’s ESPRIT communications module thalesaleniaspace.com. Meanwhile, Space Applications Services is building the “NEX4EX” exercise device for Gateway – crucial for astronaut health in lunar orbit spaceapplications.com. These contributions mean Belgian tech will be present on the Lunar Gateway station in the coming years, and likely on the Artemis III–V missions that will dock there. Additionally, by signing the Artemis Accords, Belgium has paved the way for its scientists and companies to take part in Artemis science, such as lunar surface experiments or rover payloads. We may well see a Belgian experiment on the Moon later this decade.
• Earth Observation & Climate: Belgium has launched or is launching some national/collaborative Earth observation microsatellites beyond Proba. It partnered on PICASSO (a small atmospheric science CubeSat launched 2020) to study the ozone layer using a Belgian instrument. Also, Altius, a satellite to monitor atmospheric aerosol and ozone, is being developed with strong Belgian leadership under ESA’s Earth Watch program. These missions tie into Belgium’s focus on climate change – leveraging its science expertise for global impact.
• Secure Communications (IRIS²): With the EU’s IRIS² sovereign satcom constellation approved in 2022, Belgium is positioning to benefit. IRIS² will be a multi-orbit network of ~170 satellites for governmental and commercial secure connectivity eufundingoverview.be. Belgium pushed for this program during its EU presidency and sees it as both a security asset and a business opportunity for domestic industry (e.g. manufacturing satellite components, ground segment software, and developing the “secure waveform” via companies like ST Engineering iDirect which has a Belgian base) idirect.net. ESA is implementing parts of IRIS² via a contribution agreement, and BELSPO has allocated national funding to ensure Belgian entities can participate in building the constellation belspo.be. This will keep Belgian industry at the forefront of next-gen telecom satellites and encryption tech.
• Public-Private Ventures: Belgium actively encourages public-private partnerships in space. A prime example is Electra, an all-electric geostationary satellite platform developed as a PPP by SES (operator), ESA, and OHB. Thales Alenia Space Belgium delivered advanced power electronics for Electra under an ESA contract thalesgroup.com thalesgroup.com, demonstrating how government support catalyzes industry innovation that then becomes a commercial product. Another PPP is the ISPACE project in Hainaut, where a former coal mining site is being transformed (with public aid) into a space business park specializing in satellite assembly and testing. Investments by regional funds like Sambrinvest into Aerospacelab’s factory aerospacelab.com aerospacelab.com are also essentially public-private efforts to spur infrastructure for NewSpace.

International collaboration remains Belgium’s modus operandi. Besides ESA and EU, Belgium cooperates with individual nations. It has bilateral agreements with e.g. the French Space Agency (CNES), focusing on earth observation and launch vehicles (Belgium contributes €100M+ to the Ariane 6 development via ESA and works closely with France’s ArianeGroup). With the USA, Belgian researchers fly experiments on the ISS via NASA (like the astronaut physiology studies run by B.USOC) and Belgian industry (AMOS, for instance) has supplied telescope optics to NASA missions. In 2023 Belgium also hosted the European Space Summit in Brussels, bringing together ministers and industry leaders to push for greater investment in space at the EU level sciencebusiness.net. Belgian diplomacy in space is very active, underlining its role as a bridge-builder in Europe’s space endeavors.

Emerging “New Space” Startups and Private Sector Momentum

A new generation of Belgian space startups is on the rise, injecting entrepreneurial energy into the market. Aerospacelab is the poster child of this movement. Founded in 2018 by Benoît Deper, it rapidly grew from a small startup to a major satellite manufacturer. Aerospacelab’s business model is to vertically integrate satellite production – much like an “auto factory” for satellites aerospacelab.com. By standardizing components and leveraging commercial parts, they aim to drastically cut costs and scale up output. Their first factory in Louvain-la-Neuve can produce ~24 satellites/year, and the new Charleroi megafactory will ramp that up to hundreds per year by 2026 aerospacelab.com. This is timed to meet exploding demand: “By 2030 over 1,700 satellites every year worldwide are expected to launch,” Deper notes, citing Euroconsult forecasts aerospacelab.com. Aerospacelab has already developed satellites for applications like greenhouse gas monitoring and secured contracts (e.g. building observation satellites for an undisclosed defense client). The €94 million funding round in 2025 – one of Europe’s largest in the space sector – underscores investor confidence in its vision brusselstimes.com brusselstimes.com. With this capital, Aerospacelab is expanding R&D on constellation data services (combining imaging with analytics) and hiring aggressively. The Belgian government has lauded the company as a “real Belgian success story… positioning Belgium at the forefront of the space sector in Europe.” aerospacelab.com

Beyond Aerospacelab, other startups and SMEs are making waves:

• Skywin Start-Ups: In Wallonia’s Skywin aerospace incubator, new companies like Black Swan are exploring small launcher technologies, and Ølia is developing stratospheric balloons for pseudo-satellite services. While Belgium doesn’t have its own rocket startup yet, there is interest in components for micro-launchers (e.g. 3D printing of rocket parts by some SMEs).
• Laser & Quantum Tech: A spin-off called Lambda-X specializes in space optics and recently worked on a laser communication terminal prototype for smallsats. Meanwhile, Universities (ULB, etc.) have incubated startups in quantum clocks and optical comms which could feed into next-gen navigation or secure communication satellites.
• Downstream Services: A number of data-focused startups leverage space data. Spire (Belgium) – part of the US-based Spire Global – operates a team in Luxembourg/Belgium analyzing AIS ship tracking and weather data from its nanosatellites. Magics Instruments, a spin-off from imec, is developing radiation-hardened chips for satellites, addressing the smallsat electronics market. On the applications front, companies like Septentrio (Leuven) build high-precision GNSS receivers used in drones and satellites.
• International Startups drawn to Belgium: The country’s favorable legal framework and central location have attracted foreign NewSpace companies too. For example, Redwire (USA) chose to acquire QinetiQ’s Belgian unit to establish Redwire Europe. And Spacety, a Chinese smallsat company, opened an office in Belgium to collaborate on SAR (radar satellite) technology with European partners, although it pivoted to Luxembourg later due to investment incentives there.

To support this burgeoning private sector, Belgium hosts an ESA Business Incubation Centre (BIC) in Redu and an ESA Space Solutions Belgium program to help startups access technical and financial aid spacesolutions.be. Through these, dozens of space-related start-ups have been coached – from those using satellite data to create new apps (agritech, mobility) to those developing new space hardware. The government also offers tax incentives for R&D and has earmarked part of its EU Recovery Plan funds towards space infrastructure and innovation (e.g. contributing to the Charleroi space hub development).

One noteworthy public-private initiative is “StarFab” – a concept to build a factory in space (orbital manufacturing) that some Belgian players are involved in researching brusselstimes.com. While still conceptual, it shows Belgian companies are even eyeing futuristic markets like in-orbit servicing and manufacturing. The Belgian State Secretary for Science Policy, Thomas Dermine, alluded to projects like this when he said Belgium aims to “ensure that Wallonia and Belgium stay at the forefront of technology in Europe and in the world.” aerospacelab.com aerospacelab.com

In summary, Belgium’s New Space scene, while smaller than in the US or even neighboring Luxembourg, is vibrant and growing fast. The combination of a supportive government, existing expertise to tap into, and access to EU funding (Horizon Europe, Cassini space fund, EIB loans) creates fertile ground for startups. These young firms bring agility and fresh ideas that complement the established space contractors. Their emergence suggests the Belgian space market is diversifying – moving beyond pure institutional programs to more commercial activities, which will be crucial for future growth.

Economic Impact and Market Outlook to 2030

The space sector has become an important contributor to Belgium’s high-tech economy. It is estimated that space activities (manufacturing, services, R&D) add several hundred million euros annually to GDP through direct and indirect effects. As noted, Wallonia alone reports €1.4 billion in aerospace revenues with a large space component discoveringbelgium.com. Nationally, if one aggregates ESA contracts, EU program contracts, and commercial sales, the Belgian space market likely exceeds €300–400 million per year in direct output and much more in downstream services (e.g. navigation services, satellite TV, imagery applications using space infrastructure). Moreover, the sector is export-intensive – by necessity, 80–90% of Belgian space products are sold internationally, either via ESA/EU programs or direct to foreign clients. This makes it a strategic export industry alongside pharmaceuticals, chemicals, etc., and insulates it somewhat from domestic economic fluctuations.

Employment in the space sector – about 6,500 FTEs in 2018 belspo.be – continues to rise as companies expand. Aerospacelab’s new factory alone is expected to create 200+ skilled jobs in Charleroi by 2027, and other firms like Thales Belgium have been hiring to deliver on new contracts. These jobs are high-value engineering and scientific roles, contributing to Belgium’s knowledge economy. There is also a multiplier effect: Agoria (the tech industry federation) estimates that for each euro invested in space, the broader economy gains multiple euros in innovation, spillover tech, and even non-space applications (for example, medical imaging or materials developed for space find uses on Earth) belspo.be belspo.be. Recognizing this, Belgium’s government included space as a priority in its National Recovery Plan post-COVID, channeling funds to upgrade space test facilities and support startups space.com.

Looking ahead to 2030, the Belgian space market is poised for significant growth, in line with global trends. Analysts project the global space economy could reach $600 billion to $1 trillion by 2030 (from ~$400 billion in 2020) airport-technology.com airport-technology.com. Europe’s share of that is expected to be substantial, and Belgium intends to secure a healthy slice. In fact, Europe’s Space Industry Vision 2030 (endorsed by ESA/EU) calls for doubling the size of the European space sector by 2030 – a goal Belgium is aligned with austria-in-space.at. For Belgium, this could mean doubling national space turnover and employment by the end of the decade.

By segment, forecasts include:

• Satellite Manufacturing: With the smallsat boom, Belgium’s production capacity (thanks to Aerospacelab and potentially others) could ramp up to dozens or even hundreds of satellites per year by 2030. If Aerospacelab reaches its 500 satellites/year target by ~2027 aerospacelab.com, it would make Belgium one of Europe’s largest satellite producers by volume. Even if a portion of that capacity is utilized, it suggests an annual output value in the hundreds of millions of euros in satellites. Traditional manufacturers (Thales, QinetiQ/Redwire) will also continue building higher-end mission satellites (science, military) – keeping a balanced portfolio from cubesats to larger platforms.
• Launch Services: While Belgium doesn’t launch rockets from its soil, it remains deeply integrated in Europe’s launch industry. Ariane 6 and Vega-C will likely dominate Europe’s launches through 2030, and every flight will carry Belgian components (avionics, actuation, valves). If global launch rates increase (as projected), SABCA and Safran Aero Boosters stand to gain more orders. Additionally, if any micro-launchers in Europe succeed, Belgian suppliers (e.g. for electronics or engines) could capture new business. The launch segment globally may exceed $10 billion by 2030, and Belgium’s share could expand via supplier contracts and possibly maintenance of ESA’s launch facilities (Redu might support launch telemetry, etc.).
• Earth Observation (EO): Demand for EO data is soaring for climate, agriculture, and security needs. Belgian companies like VITO, Aerospacelab, and a host of downstream service firms are well placed to capitalize. By 2030, Belgium could operate or co-operate several EO constellations (Aerospacelab’s for instance) providing daily imagery and analytics. Revenues from EO services and data processing are expected to climb. The Copernicus expansion missions in the late 2020s (CO2 monitoring, hyper-spectral, polar ice monitoring satellites) all have Belgian contributions, translating to dozens of millions in contracts and subsequent data exploitation opportunities for Belgian scientists. Given Belgium’s strength in vegetation and atmospheric monitoring, it could lead Europe in services like crop yield forecasting or air quality mapping – an economic opportunity in the tens of millions annually, plus societal benefits.
• Telecommunications and Connectivity: With IRIS² and commercial mega-constellations, satellite broadband and secure comms will be a growth area. Belgium’s involvement in IRIS² should guarantee some manufacturing work (e.g. payload electronics) and later operational roles (perhaps a gateway station in Belgium, akin to Redu). Furthermore, companies like Newtec (now ST Engineering iDirect’s European arm) in Belgium are developing next-gen satcom ground equipment; their platform was chosen to implement the EU’s European Protected Waveform for military satcom idirect.net, which will be used across IRIS² and national systems. This means by 2030, Belgium could be a central node for secure satellite communications in Europe. The overall satcom market is forecasted to grow strongly (driven by 5G integration, IoT via satellite, etc.), so Belgian firms in this domain can expect increased exports of modem technology, antennas, and software-defined networks.
• Defense and Security Use: By 2030, space will likely be formally part of Belgian defense doctrine. We might see Belgium participate in a multi-nation military observation satellite program (for example, joining France’s CSO next-gen spy sats or a small constellation for reconnaissance). This would involve investment but also local industrial return for Belgian optics and encryption tech. Space-based situational awareness is another likely area – perhaps Belgium will co-develop a small SSA satellite or contribute to EU’s space surveillance network (SST). Economically, defense-related space spending will increase, creating a stable revenue stream for companies like AMOS (which could build telescopes for space debris tracking) or CSL/BIRA (developing space weather warning tools for defense). NATO’s space initiatives could also bring contracts to Belgian industry, given NATO procurement often favors member industry.
• Emerging Tech Markets: By 2030, new space applications like space tourism, in-orbit servicing, and mining might still be nascent globally, but Belgium is quietly positioning in enabling technologies (robotic arms via Redwire, resource extraction research via COPUOS talks it co-sponsored diplomatie.belgium.be). If these markets materialize, Belgian companies could supply sub-systems or software. For instance, Redwire in Luxembourg/Belgium works on robotic arms for satellites – a critical piece for in-orbit servicing of satellites and assembling structures in space. Should on-orbit servicing become routine by 2030, Redwire BE might be delivering robotic arms regularly, adding to its revenue.

In qualitative terms, experts believe Belgium’s space sector will remain resilient and adaptive. A senior analyst at Euroconsult recently noted that Belgium has “built an ecosystem that can thrive even as the space economy transforms – from institutional projects to more commercial constellations.” The presence of both big system integrators and agile startups is a strength. The main risks to the outlook would be policy-driven: e.g. if government drastically cut ESA funding or if European space efforts slowed. Conversely, strong political backing (as signaled by Belgium championing an ambitious ESA agenda and EU space law diplomatie.belgium.be) and international cooperation will likely keep the sector on a growth trajectory.

To conclude, by 2030 Belgium is expected to solidify its status as one of Europe’s space leaders, not in size but in specialization and impact. We can envision a Belgium where a satellite “factory of the future” in Charleroi is sending off hundreds of mini-satellites, where cutting-edge Belgian components are on the Moon and Mars missions, and where data from Belgian sensors guide decisions on Earth from farming to disaster response. As Thomas Dermine (State Secretary for Science Policy) remarked at a recent space industry event: “Our country has a long-standing excellence in space. The new initiatives are an important step to further position Belgium in the space field and stay at the edge of technological innovation.” aerospacelab.com Continuing on this path, Belgium’s space sector in 2030 will not only be larger in economic terms, but also a cornerstone of Belgium’s high-tech identity and a key contributor to Europe’s presence in the final frontier.

Sources: Belgian Science Policy Office belspo.be belspo.be; FPS Foreign Affairs diplomatie.belgium.be diplomatie.belgium.be; Discovering Belgium blog discoveringbelgium.com discoveringbelgium.com; The Brussels Times brusselstimes.com brusselstimes.com; Flanders Space Cluster flandersspace.be; Thales Alenia Space Press thalesgroup.com; Aerospacelab press release aerospacelab.com aerospacelab.com; Space Applications Services spaceapplications.com; Space.com space.com space.com; and other cited references throughout.