New European Centre for Space Economy and Commerce (ECSECO) Established

Drawing on the good experience of the European Centre for Space Law, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher established in 2022 the European Centre for Space Economy and Commerce (ECSECO).

The main objective of ECSECO is to provide a European platform for interdisciplinary discussions and research on space economy and commerce. Interdisciplinarity lies at the heart of ECSECO. Consequently, ECSECO connects individuals from various professional backgrounds, inter alia, economists, engineers, scientists and lawyers from the private sector, public institutions, international organisations and academia. By joining ECSECO you will become a part of a vibrant community which fosters the European collaboration towards the further development of space sector.

Mission

According to the Charter, the main objectives of ECSECO are:

• To promote the development of space economy and commerce in Europe.
• To encourage interdisciplinary exchanges (between economists, engineers, scientists and lawyers).
• To encourage research on certain topics related to space economy and commerce (with both academia and the private sector).
• To provide for exchange of information and ideas (through the organisation of colloquia and by the dissemination of information).

Pillars of ECSECO

The ECSECO activities are built on four pillars:

• Network Building
• Knowledge Development
• Impact Creation
• Transmission of Expertise

Secretariat and other organs

The Secretariat of ECSECO is managed by the European Space Agency (ESA) with support from the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) and is hosted in the premises of the Institute in Vienna, Austria.

A General Meeting of members is convened every three years. At the General Meeting, the members examine the orientation of the Centre’s activities and questions related to the future of the Centre, and elect the members of the Board.

The Board oversees and assists in the running of the Centre, proposes themes for research and workshops, and takes other steps necessary to achieve the aims of the Centre.

ECSECO Activities

ECSECO will offer a wide range of activities such as workshops, networking events, working groups, collaborative research, competitions and many more. Activities of ECSECO are subject to the decisions of the Board and draw on the expertise of the members. The list is open and members are invited to put forward new initiatives!

Become an ECSECO member

Join the interdisciplinary network which connects individuals from private sector, public institutions, international organisations and academia. By joining ECSECO you will become a part of a vibrant community which fosters the European collaboration towards the further development of space sector.

• Participate in a variety of exclusive events
• Collaborate with experts from different backgrounds
• Contribute to space economy research
• Influence the development of the sector

Click here to find out how to become a member.

Space Economy and Commerce

The mission of ECSECO is to provide a European platform for interdisciplinary discussions and research on space economy and commerce.

What is the Space Economy?

The Space Economy is defined by OECD (in its 2012 Handbook on Measuring the Space Economy) as the full range of activities and the use of resources that create value and benefits to human beings in the course of exploring, researching, understanding, managing, and utilising space.

Space creates value

The Space Economy is growing and evolving, together with the development and profound transformation of the space sector and the further integration of space into society and economy. Today, the deployed space infrastructure makes the development of new services possible, which in turn enables new applications, in sectors such as meteorology, energy, telecommunications, insurance, transport, maritime, aviation and urban development leading to additional economic and societal benefits. The space sector is not only a growth sector itself but is the vital enabler of growth in other sectors.

What is Space Commerce?

One of the key drivers for the continuous growth of the Space Economy is Space Commerce, which is a notion encompassing a plethora of complementary discussions and reflections as to what entails commercial use of space, commercial space, and commercialisation with the interpretation of these terms evolving ever since the dawn of the space age.

Commercial space

Today commercial space is notably defined by at least one (or a combination of) of the following indicators: nature, size and risk of the investment, the nature and dynamics of relationships between contractual parties, and the prospects and viability of self-sustaining markets related to the provision of space-related products and services.

Boosting commercialisation

Public actors mandated with commercialisation, therefore, seek adapted tools and suitable mechanisms that enable commercial actors to develop new products, solutions, and services generating sufficient revenue to ensure competitiveness, technological leadership and economic growth while leveraging the opportunities of markets, private investment, and emerging end-user needs.

Find out more

You can find out all information about this new centre on its brand new website.