Flying to the Moon – Belgium embraces the challenge
As the race to the Moon accelerates, Belgium plays an important role through its industry and research. This session explores the challenges and opportunities in contributing to future lunar missions.
Switch to Space, offers students the opportunity to interact with potential employers, obtain an internship, learn about the latest cutting-edge technologies in the Belgian space sector and engage with young professionals who have started their own companies.
18 November, 2026
Preliminary programme
Image credit: NASA SVS | Visualizing Shackleton Crater
08:30 – 09:00 Registration
09:00 – 09:15 Introduction
09:15 – 10:35
Panel session: “What is the challenge for Belgian Industry and Research in the race for Lunar Exploration?”
10:35 – 11:00 Break
11:05 – 12:10 Morning session
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30 minutes of questions and answers with the students on the previous panel
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Evolution of space jobs over a horizon of 5 to 10 years
12:10 – 13:45 Lunch time
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Booths: Sponsors + Startups
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Speed dating
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Dazibao (Wall paper: CVs, Jobs, Internships)
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“Ask Me Anything" with experts
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Speeches by Premium and Gold Sponsors
14:00 – 17:00 Parallel sessions
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First room "Living on the Moon - Technical challenges"
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Second room "Living on the Moon - Legal and Societal challenges"
17:30 - 19:30 Cocktail and networking
The Switch to Space 5 will take place at Venue MIX, 25 Boulevard du Souverain, Watermael-Boitsfort.
14:00 – 17:00
Parallel sessions
First room
"Living on the Moon - Technical challenges"
Topic 1 AI and Quantum Technologies
Telespazio Belgium
Topic 2 Navigation/ Telecommunication
Antwerp Space
Topic 3 Robotique
Speaker to be announced
Topic 4 Security and Defence
Starion Nexova
Topic 5 Lunar dust
Alain Ravier
Topic 6 Topic and speaker to be announced
Second room
"Living on the Moon - Legal and Societal challenges"
Topic 1 Lex Lunae
Jean-François Mayence
Acting Head of the Legal Department of the Belgian Federal Office for Science Policy-BELSPO
Topic 2 Lunar time
Pascale Defraigne
Project Leader at Royal Observatory of Belgium
Topic 3 Space weather | Eumetsat
Topic 4 Healthcare for sustained lunar presence
Carlo Iorio
Director at Centre for Research and Engineering in Space technologies – Université Libre de Bruxelles
Topic 5 Sustainability in outer space
Prof. Walter Peters
President-Emeritus of the International Space University (ISU), Strasbourg, France
Topic 6 Ethics of Outer Space: some guidelines for Lunar activities
Prof. Dominique Lambert
Professor emeritus of the University of Namur, member of the Royal Academy of Belgium
Sponsors of Switch to Space 5
We sincerely thank our sponsors for making this event possible. The list of sponsors will continue to grow, and if you would like to support this ambitious event and become one of its partners, please contact us at secretariat@dominiquetilmans.be.
WHAT IS
Switch to Space
In October 2024, it was already the 4th edition of Switch to Space, which brought together students and young professionals interested in space, industry representatives and space professionals to discuss the latest advances and achievements in the state of knowledge and to consider new horizons.
It was an opportunity for you to get in touch with professionals and start building your own professional network.
The event is organised every two years during the autumn. The first Switch to Space was organised in 2018.
+ 400
participants
+ 30
speakers
+ 20 potential employers
Careers - Opportunities - Expand your knowledge
WHAT
Switch to Space has to offer
Presentations by experts
Expanded knowledge
Career opportunities
Meetings with industry representatives
Networking with likeminded people
Job and internship
offers
Various career opportunities
Almost every sector today
is linked to space
Because the evolution of the space sector and the impressive development of new space applications leads to lots of new job opportunities in many different fields: Agronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Nutrition, Geography, Cybersecurity, HR, Finance, IT, Medicine, Law, Management...
Because Space industry in Belgium always needs new talents!
Switch to Space can change your career path!
A great event that undoubtedly will leave a mark on all students and young professionals.
It brings together experts from the Belgian space industry, research centres, universities, Belspo, ESA's strategic department, the EU department, European innovation - New Space - Space Defence and Eumetsat...
Space experts will share with you the latest technological advances, their passion and their vision of space.
An awe-inspiring opportunity for students, young professionals and space professionals to get together during an amazing day!
Dominique Tilmans
