High-Level Policy Introduction
Ella Carlsson, Director General, Swedish National Space Agency
Dr. Ella Carlsson is the Director General of the Swedish National Space Agency (SNSA), appointed in December 2024. She began her career in the Swedish Armed Forces in 1992 as an aircraft mechanic and later became an aircraft technician after graduating from the Swedish Air Force Academy. Her international experience includes deployments to Bosnia and Kosovo with SFOR and KFOR missions. She holds an M.Sc. in Space Engineering and a Ph.D. in Physics from Luleå University of Technology, with research conducted at NASA Ames, the Swedish Institute of Space Physics, and UC Berkeley, focusing on Mars and space plasma physics. Dr. Carlsson has held senior positions within the Ministry of Defense, led the development of Esrange Space Center, and served as Deputy and Acting Director of the Swedish Institute of Space Physics. In 2022, she became Chief of Space Capabilities and Development for the Swedish Air Force, later promoted to Colonel. She serves on the boards of FOI, SNSA, and IRF, is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of War Sciences, and received the French National Order of Merit in 2012.
Åke Holmgren, Head of department Cybersecurity and Mission Critical Communications Department, MSB
Dr. Åke J. Holmgren is Director of Cybersecurity and Secure Communications at the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) where he heads the Cybersecurity and Secure Communications Department. He has more than 20 years of experience in cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection. Dr. Holmgren is responsible for MSB’s cybersecurity services, including the national cyber incident handling function (CERT-SE), the secure communication services, including the national digital communications system for emergency services, and the authority’s work with civil command centers and space related activities. Dr. Holmgren is a member of the strategic management board of the national cybersecurity center (NCSC) in Sweden. He is also a member of the supervisory council of the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (IMY), and the contingency planning council of Sweden’s transmission system authority for electricity (SvK).
Dr. Holmgren has worked at various government functions in Sweden, including the Swedish Defense Research Agency (FOI) and the Swedish Emergency Management Agency (SEMA). He has been a member of the Norwegian Commission on the digital vulnerability of society. Dr. Holmgren has been Visiting Scholar at the Institute for Civil Infrastructure Systems, Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University. He holds a Ph.D. degree in Risk and Safety Analysis, and a M.Sc. degree in engineering, both from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, and a B.Sc. degree in business administration and economics from Stockholm University.
Rodrigo da Costa, Executive Director, European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)
On 16 October 2020, Rodrigo da Costa took up his duties as Executive Director of the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), formerly the European GNSS Agency (GSA). Prior to this, he was the Galileo Services Programme Manager from March 2017. Before joining the GSA, Rodrigo da Costa held several senior project management, business development, and institutional key account management positions in the space industry, in the areas of human space flight, exploration, launchers and R&D. Rodrigo da Costa holds a degree in Aerospace Engineering from the “Instituto Superior Tecnico” in Lisbon, a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Delft, and an MBA from the EuroMBA consortium of Business Schools.
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.
Kristoffer Hultgren, Head of the Space Security Section, MSB
Dr Kristoffer Hultgren is the acting Head of the Space Security Section at the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB). At MSB Dr Hultgren is responsible for the space related work which includes being the Director of both the Competent PRS Authority and the Competent Govsatcom Authority of Sweden. He is also delegate to the Galileo & EGNOS Committee and the Space Situational Awareness Committee, both within the EU Space Programme, and he is the Nato civil expert on Space support to disaster preparedness and response.
Dr Hultgren holds a PhD degree in atmospheric physics from Stockholm University, a MSc degree in Space Technology from Luleå Technical University, a MSc degree in Space Physics from Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, and a BSc degree in Physics from Karlstad University.
European Union Space Components
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.
Jérémie Benoist, Galileo Service Facilities Evolution Manager, EUSPA
Jeremie Benoist is employed at European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) in charge of leading Galileo evolutions activities to improve the existing services (like OSNMA and SAR) or to deliver the new ones (like HAS and EWSS). He has been working for the Agency for more than 8 years, in particular building up the Galileo Service Provider role entrusted in 2016 and the SAR Return link entry into service in 2020.
Previously, he had worked for 20 years in the French Space Agency (CNES) initially in designing the telecommunication systems of several satellites then, as operation manager, in operating military missions. Finally, he was nominated Project Manager of the SAR Galileo Data Service Provider project.
Jeremie Benoist hold a radiocommunications diploma of Engineering from Ecole Superieure d’Electronique de l’Ouest (in Angers)
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.
Tomas Jonsson, CASSINI Team Leader, for CASSINI Space Entrepreneurship Initiative at European Commission
Space assets supporting the Disaster Risk Management Cycle
Stefan Andersson, Meteorologist, MSB
Stefan Andersson is a meteorologist working at the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) in the Natural Hazards and Climate Adaption Section. The section works with wildfire prevention and awareness, early detection and model/method development. Stefan is specialized in fire danger forecast, satellite detection of wildfires and communication of outdoor fire safety to the public.
Adam Dybbroe, Geophysicist, Swedish Metrological and Hydrological Institute
Adam Dybbroe is a geophysicist with a broad knowledge and long experience in atmospheric remote sensing. Adam is currently a research lead on remote sensing and nowcasting at the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) with the main focus on improving the analysis and forecasting of clouds and precipitation.
He is currently leading an ESA funded project to perform an early evaluation of the Arctic Weather Satellite (AWS) in the context of the regional Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) modelling systems of the Nordic countries. Adam is also a member of the ESA/EUMETSAT Science Advisory Group for AWS and the EPS-SG Microwave Sounder.
Adam has contributed to the creation of a real-time, satellite-based forest fire detection system in Sweden, enhancing early detection and response to wildfires.
Björn Skoglund, Operations Specialist in 112 and Crisis prepardness, SOS Alarm
Faramarz Nilfouroushan, Lantmäteriet (Swedish mapping, cadastral and land registration authority, and University of Gävle)
Faramarz Nilfouroushan is a Docent and Senior Lecturer in Applied Geodesy at the University of Gävle, and a Senior Geodesist at Lantmäteriet, the Swedish mapping, cadastral, and land registration authority. His research focuses on satellite geodetic data (SAR and GNSS) for monitoring crustal deformation, land subsidence, and landslides, as well as for developing geodetic infrastructure. He has contributed to, and continues working on, national and international projects using Earth-observation data to study geodynamic processes and support environmental and disaster-risk applications.
Current challenges and opportunities related to the uptake of satellite data
Magnus Wallhagen Sjöfartsverket, National Hydrographer of Sweden, Swedish Maritime Administration
Magnus Wallhagen is the National Hydrographer of Sweden and has been nearly 35 years at the Swedish Maritime Administration in different leadership positions at the Hydrographic Office. He has led major EU co-funded hydrographic projects advancing maritime safety, innovation, and digital transformation in the Baltic Sea. Internationally, he chairs the International Hydrographic Organisation’s technical committee, Hydrographic Services and Standards Committee (HSSC) since 2020, where he oversaw the delivery of the first S-100 product specifications and their inclusion in the UN International Maritime Organization’s regulatory framework. S-100 is the foundation for the next generation of navigational systems for the shipping industry.
Sebastian Wigmo Sjöfartsverket, Swedish Maritime Administration
Sebastian Wigmo, Master Mariner, with about 20 years of experience in the Swedish search and rescue service. I started as a volunteer lifeboat crew member and later spent a few years at sea as First Officer on a hydrographic survey vessel. The last decade he has worked in SAR management, mainly with training and communication systems, including the Swedish emergency Tetra network.
While his work has not directly involved satellite communication in particular, many questions in his daily work are closely related to it, such as GNSS positioning, COSPAS-SARSAT emergency beacons, VDES, and AIS. He is particularly interested in how development of these systems support safety at sea and improve coordination during emergencies at sea.
Peter Bergljung, Transponder-Tech AB
Peter Bergljung has work since 1986 with navigation systems and radio/radar-systems, from cruise missiles, to aircraft, ships and space. Developing the technology with focus on navigation integrity and sensor fusion.
Anti-jamming and anti-spoofing, part of Electronic Warfare, has always been the main design criteria and interests for me. GNSS technology has since 1995, when GPS achieved full operational capability been one important part of the total navigation system.
Peter has work with sensor-fusion of navigation systems meaning that inertial navigation system, radar matching and camera matching are fused with GNSS.
The last five years Peter has spent a lot of time on shipborne navigation system and a AIS/VDES CubeSat, denoted YMIR-1, that is currently in orbit and do scientific work; bi-directional communication and GNSS from space.
Peter holds a Master of Science from The Institute of Technology at Linköping University in 1987.
Ann Gyldén, Inspector, Transportstyrelsen (Swedish Transport Agency)
Ann Gyldén is presently working as an ANS (Air Navigation Services)-inspector at Swedish Transport Agency. She has a background as Air Traffic Controller and have been working in management roles within Air Traffic Control and also as a Senior Advisor for the Swedish Air Force.
Closing Session
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.