On Monday 26 October, Prime Minister Luc Frieden, the Minister of the Economy, SME, Energy and Tourism, Lex Delles, the Minister of Finance, Gilles Roth, and the Mayor of Roeser, Tom Jungen, officially launched construction work on the Space Campus in Kockelscheuer. On this occasion, they also unveiled the project’s new identity, now brought together under the NEOS space campus brand. This milestone marks the project’s entry into its implementation phase and represents a major step forward for the development of Luxembourg’s space infrastructure.
NEOS space campus Luxembourg
Located in Kockelscheuer, within ParcLuxite – owned by Poudrerie de Luxembourg – the NEOS space campus Luxembourg will bring together the key players in Luxembourg’s space sector on a single site. It will also offer state-of-the-art facilities for the development, integration and qualification of space technologies.
The site, which is being built by CDCL, will be centred around a main building, named ‘Nova’, with a net floor area of approximately 10,000 m² spread over five floors, a mezzanine and a basement level.
This will host:
- the future headquarters of the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA);
- an incubator and spaces dedicated to start-ups, to be operated by Technoport;
- office space for SMEs and companies in the space sector;
- a reception area where companies can showcase their technologies,
- a large canteen,
- a large conference hall and meeting rooms of various sizes,
- and collaborative spaces designed to foster exchanges between public sector, industry and academic stakeholders;
Nova will be able to accommodate up to 900 people.
One of Europe’s most advanced national test centres
A central feature of the campus situated right next to the Nova building, the future national test centre will be one of the most advanced space facilities in Europe. The relevant funding bill was passed by the Chamber of Deputies last July.
With over 7,000 m² of space dedicated to environmental testing, this facility will enable satellites and space equipment to be tested under conditions that meet the most stringent international standards.
The centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art testing facilities, such as thermal vacuum chambers, reverberation chambers, facilities for radio frequency and electromagnetic compatibility testing, as well as cleanrooms compliant with international standards.
In addition, the test centre will include secure office space enabling companies to develop projects requiring such infrastructure.
Beyond the space sector, these facilities may also be used by companies from other industries, notably in the automotive, aerospace and defence sectors.
The entire site has been designed to meet the security requirements of national, European Union and NATO projects.
Finally, to ensure the development, operation and management of the entire campus, the government has established NEOS S.A., a public limited company wholly owned by the Luxembourg State.
A strategic investment for the future
The development of the NEOS space campus forms part of the government’s strategy to strengthen Luxembourg’s capacity for innovation, research and production in high value-added technological sectors. Against a backdrop of the growing importance of space technologies, secure connectivity and European technological sovereignty, the project represents a major investment in the future of the Luxembourg economy.
The test centre alone represents an estimated public investment of over 195 million euros, of which around 55 million euros is earmarked for testing facilities.
Through this project, Luxembourg aims to provide companies already operating in the country with the infrastructure necessary for their development, whilst enhancing its appeal to new international players in the space sector. SES, as a long-standing key player in the space sector, has thus confirmed its commitment to the NEOS space campus by establishing a satellite production facility covering more than 11,000 m² and office space of approximately 5,000 m².
The project will also foster collaboration between companies, research centres and public bodies, thereby helping to create an environment conducive to innovation and the emergence of new technologies.
About the Space Campus project and its new identity
First unveiled in 2022, the Space Campus is structured around two complementary sites: Belval, dedicated to research, innovation and training, and Kockelscheuer, dedicated to industrial, commercial and testing activities.
To mark the official launch of the Kockelscheuer construction site, the government unveiled the project’s new identity, now brought together under the brand name NEOS space campus Luxembourg & Belval.
This shared identity aims to boost the project’s visibility and unite all the campus’s facilities and activities around a common ambition: to strengthen Luxembourg’s position as one of Europe’s leading centres in the space sector.
The mayor of Roeser stated: «The regeneration of this industrial brownfield site, which has been in use for over 100 years, to turn it into the main site of our country’s ‘Space Campus’, is an important milestone for our municipality, but it also demonstrates the innovative capacity of Luxembourg and its economy.»
Prime Minister Luc Frieden emphasised: «Space is no longer a distant frontier: it has become a strategic infrastructure essential to the functioning of our societies, our economies and our security. For over forty years, and with the creation of SES, our country has established itself as a recognised space nation. The Space Campus embodies a whole new phase of this ambition: bringing together talent and businesses on a single site to continue building the future of the space economy.»
The Minister of the Economy, SME, Energy and Tourism commented: «Luxembourg’s space sector is experiencing remarkable growth. With the NEOS Space Campus, we are providing a concrete response to the needs of companies in the sector by offering them offices, a specialised incubator and a secure, state-of-the-art test centre capable of supporting the next phase of development for our space industry and enhancing Luxembourg’s appeal. In this way, we are creating the necessary conditions for innovation and investment in the sector.»
The Minister of Finance, Gilles Roth, added: «I am convinced that public investment must be channelled towards projects that create the most value for our country and its citizens. The NEOS Space Campus represents an investment in our capacity for innovation, in the diversification of our economy and in Luxembourg’s long-term competitiveness. It is by preparing the sectors of the future today that we will ensure the prosperity of future generations.»
Press release by the Ministry of the Economy, the Ministry of State and the Ministry of Finance
