Munich Space Summit: Speaker Announcement #1

The new international flagship event jointly hosted by the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, Munich Aerospace – Bavaria’s research network for the aerospace industry – and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) brings together senior representatives from international space agencies, political institutions, research organisations, and industry from 23 to 27 March.

Confirmed speakers include, among others, Hélène Huby (The Exploration Company), Josef Aschbacher (ESA), Rodrigo da Costa (EUSPA), Michael Schöllhorn (Airbus Defence & Space / BDLI), Walther Pelzer (DLR), Gerald Hagemann (Ariane Group), Indulis Kalnins (Rocket Factory Augsburg), Chiara Manfletti (TUM), and Julia Brase (Helsing Germany GmbH).

Sponsorship packages are still available for booking at this time.

Munich, 3 February 2026 – In just eight weeks, the Munich Space Summit will take place in Munich for the first time. The new format – combining the Munich New Space Summit and the Munich Satellite Navigation Summit – brings together internationally leading figures from industry, government, and research. Around 600 guests are expected.

Below is a selection of speakers, panelists, and moderators from the New Space segment (March 23–25) who have already confirmed their participation in the Summit:

Mistress of the Ceremony Tag 1-3: Agnieszka Łukaszczyk, Founder & CEO, hiALtitude Consulting

Day 1 (23 March):

• Carla Filotico, Partner & Managing Director, Novaspace
• Quentin Robert, CEO, Spacefounders France
• Koen Geurts, Senior Investment Manager, HTGF
• Rob Desborough, General Partner and Accelerator Chair, Seraphim Space
• Joram Voelklein, Founding Partner, Alpine Space Ventures
• Jacob Rindler, Additive Manufacturing Lead, The Exploration Company

Day 2 (24 March):

• Chiara Manfletti, Chair of Space Propulsion and Mobility at the Technical University of Munich
• Indulis Kalnins, CEO, Rocket Factory Augsburg
• Gerald Hagemann, Head of Site Ottobrunn / Taufkirchen, ArianeGroup
• Justyna Redelkiewicz, CEO, GoCosmic
• Reinhard Blasi, Acting Head of Communications, EUSPA
• Jacek Strzelczyk, CEO, Satim
• Guilhem Garrel, Space Business Catalyst Partner France, Thales Alenia Space
• Andreas Heitmann, Managing Director Germany, Space Founders
• Andreas Knopp, Chair of Signal Processing, University of the Bundeswehr Munich
• Daniela Dobreva-Nielsen, Director Space Applications bavAIRia e.V.
• Samuel Mamou, Director, Alliance NewSpace France
• Ingo Baumann, Founding Partner and Lawyer, BHO Legal
• Nicolas Moraitis, Lead Legal Counsel, Infinite Orbits
• Brad Powell, Deputy General Counsel, Vast Space
• Cécile Gaubert, General Counsel, Exotrail
• Catherine Doldirina, General Counsel, D-Orbit

Day 3 (25 March):

• Florian Dötzer, Managing Director, TUM Venture Labs
• Valentina Luchetti, Senior Sales and Business Development Manager, Dcubed
• Hendrik Osenberg, Deputy Head of the Navigation Department, German Space Agency at DLR
• Julia Brase, Associate Programme Manager, Helsing Germany GmbH
• Stewart Hall, Sales Director, Telespazio Germany
• Lucie Liversain, Chief of Staff, Skynopy
• Claus Kruesken, Journalist, Bayerischer Rundfunk
• Rodrigo da Costa, Executive Director, European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), formerly the European GNSS Agency (GSA)
• Josef Aschbacher, Director General, European Space Agency (ESA)
• Michael Schöllhorn, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus Defence & Space, und Präsident des BDLI
• Walther Pelzer, Director General, German Space Agency at DLR, and Member of the DLR Executive Board
• Hélène Huby, Founder & CEO, The Exploration Company
• Mattia Moscardino, CEO Germany, GMV
• Ernst K. Pfeiffer, CEO, HPS GmbH
• Brian Manning, CEO, Xona Space Systems

The week-long Munich Space Summit will focus on New Space during the first half of the week and on Satellite Navigation during the second half. On Wednesday, 25 March, a joint programme day will bring all participants together.

Detailed information on individual sessions, keynotes, and deep dives is available on the event website.

Stakeholders also still have the opportunity to secure their involvement through sponsorship opportunities. Sponsorship opportunities can be booked as follows:

• Sponsorship for the first part of the week (23-25 March), focus on New Space
• Sponsoring for the second part of the week (25-27 March), focus on Satellite Navigation

All information on sponsorships and confirmed sponsors is available under Sponsors – Munich Space Summit.

About the Munich Space Summit

The Munich Space Summit brings together two renowned flagship event formats of Bavaria’s aerospace industry: the Munich Satellite Navigation Summit, launched 20 years ago by the Universität der Bundeswehr München (UniBw M), and the Munich New Space Summit, first organized by Munich Aerospace in 2023. The new combined format will premiere in March 2026 and will bring together around 600 globally relevant stakeholders from the aerospace sector. It is distinguished, among other things, by the fact that it unites representatives from research and academia, industry, and politics.

About the University of the Bundeswehr Munich

The University of the Bundeswehr Munich is a research-intensive university within the remit of the German Federal Ministry of Defense. Its missions include academic teaching, world-class research, and the transfer of knowledge and technology. Founded in 1973, it offers officer candidates a civilian academic education and is home to one of Germany’s strongest aerospace research clusters.

About Munich Aerospace

Munich Aerospace strengthens aerospace research, innovation, and talent development in Bavaria. By coordinating research programmes, awarding doctoral scholarships, and promoting close cooperation between universities, research institutions, and industry, the organization fosters knowledge transfer, supports young scientists, and builds a vibrant international community for future aerospace technologies.

About the German Aerospace Center (DLR)

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is the Federal Republic of Germany’s research center for aeronautics and space. It develops technologies in aerospace, energy, transport, and security, and its innovations support industry, government, and society. The German Space Agency at DLR manages Germany’s space activities on behalf of the federal government. In addition, two DLR project management agencies oversee major national research and innovation programmes.