High-Level Policy Introduction
Marc Serres, CEO, Luxembourg Space Agency
Marc Serres is the Chief Executive Officer of the Luxembourg Space Agency. He heads the Luxembourg Delegation at the European Space Agency (ESA) and represents Luxembourg in the Council of ESA. He is Member of the International Academy of Astronautics.
He has been Director of Space Affairs at the Ministry of the Economy of Luxembourg since January 2014. Before joining the Ministry of the Economy, Marc Serres managed Luxembourg’s relations with ESA at the Ministry of Higher Education and Research as an industrial policy officer for 8 years. Prior to becoming a civil servant, he spent 5 years in the satellite communications antenna manufacturing industry within the company HITEC Luxembourg S.A., first as a Project Engineer and finally as Chief Engineer for satcom products development.
Marc Serres holds a PhD in optoelectronics and a Master in electrical engineering with specialty in microwave frequencies, both from the Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium.
Dominique Tilmans, President, Eurisy
Dominique holds the title of Honorary Senator in Belgium. During her electing mandates in the Belgian parliament, which spanned 27 years, she invested a lot of energy in space matters. She held the position of Chair of the « Belgian Senate Space Group» and she also presided over the «European Interparliamentary Space conference». In 2016, she was elected Chair of Eurisy, a non- profit Association which aims to bridge space and Society. She is also a Member of the Advisory Council of ESPI (European Space Policy Institute) in Vienna and, a Member of the Board of Vitrociset Belgium. She also serves on the Advisory Board of Europlanet 2024 RI. Concerned by the difficulties of the space industry to recruit young graduates, she launched YouSpace in 2014 and in 2018 she launched in 2018 “Switch to Space” an event with 50 speaker’s representing experts in space and more than 500 students. Between 2019 and 2022, Dominique served as Vice-President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF). Currently, she is a Special Advisor to the IAF President on Parliamentarian and Ministerial Relations.
Dr. Christina Giannopapa, Head of the Office of the Executive Director, EUSPA
Dr. Christina Giannopapa is the Head of the Office of the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). Prior, she was advisor to the Secretary General of Telecommunications and Post of the Ministry of Digital Governance in Greece, seconded from the European Space Agency (ESA). In ESA, she held various posts including the Head of Political Affairs Office of the Director General. She has received 14 academic scholarships and awards and has more than 80 publications in peer-reviewed journals, books and conferences. She has co‐edited the Springer “Handbook on space security”. Dr. Giannopapa is an elected member of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) and the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA).She is the Vice Chair of the Committee on Space Security of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and prior was the Chair of the Committee for Liaison with International Organisations and Developing Nations (CLIODN). She is also the Chair of the Board of Women in Aerospace Europe (WIA-E). Dr. Giannopapa holds a Ph.D. in Engineering and Applied Mathematics; an MEng in Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Mechatronics; and an MBA in International Management from the University of London.
European Union Space Components
Vincent Chatelée, Galileo EWSS and SAR Service Manager, EUSPA
Marie Menard, Senior Communication Officer, EUSPA
Marie Ménard is a seasoned communications professional with extensive experience in the European Union space sector. She currently serves as a Senior Communication Officer at the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), where she leads strategic communication initiatives to promote the EU Space programme and services. Her role encompasses media relations, public outreach, and stakeholder engagement, aiming to enhance public understanding and support for the EU’s space endeavours.
Marie’s experience in communication and public outreach supports EUSPA’s efforts to promote its activities and engage with stakeholders across the space sector. She holds a DEA in business development from Audencia and a master’s degree in strategic development from Reims Business School.
Dr. Christina Giannopapa, Head of the Office of the Executive Director, EUSPA
Dr. Christina Giannopapa is the Head of the Office of the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). Prior, she was advisor to the Secretary General of Telecommunications and Post of the Ministry of Digital Governance in Greece, seconded from the European Space Agency (ESA). In ESA, she held various posts including the Head of Political Affairs Office of the Director General. She has received 14 academic scholarships and awards and has more than 80 publications in peer-reviewed journals, books and conferences. She has co‐edited the Springer “Handbook on space security”. Dr. Giannopapa is an elected member of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) and the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA).She is the Vice Chair of the Committee on Space Security of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and prior was the Chair of the Committee for Liaison with International Organisations and Developing Nations (CLIODN). She is also the Chair of the Board of Women in Aerospace Europe (WIA-E). Dr. Giannopapa holds a Ph.D. in Engineering and Applied Mathematics; an MEng in Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Mechatronics; and an MBA in International Management from the University of London.
Current challenges and opportunities related to the uptake of satellite data
Gilles Hoffmann, Emergency.lu Coordinator, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defense, Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade
Gilles Hoffmann is the emergency.lu coordinator at the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After having worked for several years as a telecom engineer for a Luxembourg based operator, Gilles joined the Ministry in 2013 as technical advisor for emergency.lu, taking on the coordinator function in 2015.
Over the years, Gilles has been deployed to several emergency response operations, among others, the typhoon Haiyan operations 2013 in the Philippines, the Ebola response in West Africa, the Nepal earthquake 2015 and more recently, the Beirut port explosion as well as the evacuation operation in Kabul in 2021. Gilles was also responding to many humanitarian crises, for example in South Sudan, Nigeria, Chad and Niger.
Gilles is a member of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination Team (UNDAC) and an expert to the European Civil Protection Mechanism. He represents Luxembourg in the global emergency telecommunications cluster (ETC), the ETC strategic advisory group as well as in different other multinational working groups. He is co-chairing the International Humanitarian Partnership (IHP).
Steve Hoscheid, Responsible for RENITA Public Safety Network, Ministry of State
Steve Hoscheid is responsible for the RENITA public safety network in Luxembourg. As an expert in critical radio communications within the PPDR (Public Protection and Disaster Relief) domain, he oversees the operation of the national TETRA network—a highly resilient and secure communication system.
In addition to robust business continuity procedures, the network includes rapid deployment intervention vehicles designed to extend coverage and capacity. These vehicles are supported by satellite-based backhaul connectivity, ensuring reliable communication even in remote or emergency scenarios.
Daniel Ledesma, Head of the Innovation and Reference Unit, Luxembourg Red Cross
Daniel Ledesma Nicrosi is an architect with over 15 years of international experience driving innovation, sustainability, and results in complex operations. As Head of the Innovation and Reference Unit at the Luxembourg Red Cross, he has successfully integrated satellite data, digital tools, and climate-adapted solutions into humanitarian field operations across Africa and Europe. Working at the intersection of operational needs, research, and innovation, he partners with humanitarian actors, EU institutions, and the private sector to deliver measurable impact in emergency response and sustainable habitat solutions. Passionate about cross-sector collaboration, Daniel focuses on translating field realities into scalable, results-oriented solutions, demonstrating how space applications can strengthen decision-making, resilience, and long-term sustainability
Space assets supporting the Disaster Risk Management Cycle
Guy Schumann, Founder and CEO, RSS-Hydro
Dr. Guy Schumann is the Founder and CEO of RSS-Hydro. He is a leading expert in the application of satellite technology for disaster management, specifically floods. His work focuses on using space technologies to improve all phases of the disaster risk management cycle, from prevention and preparedness to response and increasing resilience and safety
Fabio Romano, Senior Manager for EU Institutions and NATO, SES Space & Defence
Fabio Romano is Senior Manager for EU Institutions and NATO at SES Space & Defence, where he leads institutional engagement and program development with the European institutions, EU agencies, and NATO. Based in Brussels, he focuses on secure satellite communications, navigation, and supports SES’s quantum-safe initiatives. Fabio coordinates SES’s participation in strategic components of the EU Space Programme such as EGNOS and GOVSATCOM, supporting Europe’s resilience and autonomy in space-based services. Prior to SES, he spent almost a decade in the European Institutions working on different EU Space and Défense policy issues. He holds a Master’s degree from the College of Europe and brings over twelve years of experience at the intersection of space, defence, and European institutional affairs.
Charlotte Wirion, Co-founder and CTO, WEO
Charlotte Wirion is the co-founder and CTO of WEO, a European climate tech company using satellite data and AI to improve climate resilience. With a background in environmental engineering and remote sensing, she leads WEO’s technical team. Their work focuses on making environmental data accessible and actionable across public, private, and development sectors as well as to scale the projects across Africa, Asia, and Europe, with a particular emphasis on data-scarce regions and urban climate challenges. The company has evolved from a research-driven startup into a trusted provider of high-impact environmental analytics that help communities, companies, and governments anticipate and adapt to climate risk.
Gerald Schlueter, Director Government Solutions, GovSat
Director Government Solutions, LuxGovSat S.A. Gerald Schlueter graduated in Electrical Engineering in 1995, specialising in Telecommunications. Subsequently he joined E-Plus Mobilfunk GmbH leading various projects in the OSS and BSS areas. In 1999 he changed to Vodafone Group, to manage projects and programs in the mobile network and service platform domains.
In 2007 he joined SES ASTRA, first as Senior System Engineer for various technology development projects and became Manager in the Governmental & Institutions department to oversee programs for NATO and EU (eg. such as EGNOS, C4ISR, and related space applications) and to lead the identification and development of new business opportunities in the G&I sector in Europe.
Since September 2019 he is working in LuxGovSat as Director Government Solutions, the PPP between the Luxembourg Government and SES, to oversee and drive the Government Solutions segment, focusing on NATO and EU Programs (eg. EU GovSatCom).
Paolo Campanella, CEO and CTO, WASDI
Paolo Campanella is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Technology Officer of WASDI Sarl, with over 20 years of experience in software engineering, ICT architecture, and project management. He leads the development of cloud-based geospatial platforms for Earth Observation, enabling users to process satellite data and deploy decision support tools for environmental monitoring and disaster risk management. Paolo has collaborated with international institutions and led over 20 ICT projects, including the development of DEWETRA and FloodCat for the Italian Civil Protection Department. His entrepreneurial background and technical leadership continue to position WASDI at the forefront of innovation in the Earth Observation ecosystem.
Marco Chini, Principal Research and Technology Scientist, LIST
Marco Chini is responsible for managing and developing research and innovation projects focusing on remote sensing, urban monitoring, and natural resource and disaster management within the “Remote sensing and natural resources modelling” group of LIST. His research objectives have always focused on achieving a better understanding, characterization, and monitoring of land surfaces and their changes. Capitalizing on the deluge of satellite EO data, these research efforts eventually have the aim to develop and apply methodologies and algorithms enabling a monitoring of different phenomena at a large scale, e.g., floodwater and natural disaster mapping, soil moisture retrieval, etc. Since 2016, he has been the Luxembourg representative for the Copernicus Relay and Academy networks, which are awareness-raising initiatives of the Copernicus satellite program.Since 2021, he has been part of the scientific team of the global flood monitoring (GFM) service, funded by JRC and integrated into the GloFAS system. GFM provides continuous monitoring of floods worldwide by immediately processing and analyzing all incoming Copernicus Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite data.
Wrap up and Conclusive Remarks
Marc Serres, CEO, Luxembourg Space Agency
Marc Serres is the Chief Executive Officer of the Luxembourg Space Agency. He heads the Luxembourg Delegation at the European Space Agency (ESA) and represents Luxembourg in the Council of ESA. He is Member of the International Academy of Astronautics.
He has been Director of Space Affairs at the Ministry of the Economy of Luxembourg since January 2014. Before joining the Ministry of the Economy, Marc Serres managed Luxembourg’s relations with ESA at the Ministry of Higher Education and Research as an industrial policy officer for 8 years. Prior to becoming a civil servant, he spent 5 years in the satellite communications antenna manufacturing industry within the company HITEC Luxembourg S.A., first as a Project Engineer and finally as Chief Engineer for satcom products development.
Marc Serres holds a PhD in optoelectronics and a Master in electrical engineering with specialty in microwave frequencies, both from the Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium.
Dr. Graham Turnock, Secretary General, Eurisy
Dr Turnock holds a PhD in Particle Physics from Cambridge University for his work at the European Organization for Nuclear Research. He was a UK civil servant for almost 30 years during which time he also worked in the European Commission and the French administration. After serving as Chief Executive Officer of the UK Space Agency (2017-2021), he led the Accelerator Programme at the European Space Agency, and from 2025 he serves as Eurisy Secretary General, where he leads the team working closely with EURISY Members and wider stakeholders.
Dr. Christina Giannopapa, Head of the Office of the Executive Director, EUSPA
Dr. Christina Giannopapa is the Head of the Office of the Executive Director of the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA). Prior, she was advisor to the Secretary General of Telecommunications and Post of the Ministry of Digital Governance in Greece, seconded from the European Space Agency (ESA). In ESA, she held various posts including the Head of Political Affairs Office of the Director General. She has received 14 academic scholarships and awards and has more than 80 publications in peer-reviewed journals, books and conferences. She has co‐edited the Springer “Handbook on space security”. Dr. Giannopapa is an elected member of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) and the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA).She is the Vice Chair of the Committee on Space Security of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and prior was the Chair of the Committee for Liaison with International Organisations and Developing Nations (CLIODN). She is also the Chair of the Board of Women in Aerospace Europe (WIA-E). Dr. Giannopapa holds a Ph.D. in Engineering and Applied Mathematics; an MEng in Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Mechatronics; and an MBA in International Management from the University of London.