June 30, 2026 | 6:00–8:00 pm | German Space Agency (DLR) (Königswinterer Str. 522-524, 53227 Bonn) – room change

The fascination with space has always inspired human imagination – and it remains a powerful driver of curiosity, discovery, and technological progress. Spaceflight captivates – but it needs people: engineers and technicians, scientists and visionaries. Europe faces the challenge of attracting and retaining young talent in the space sector in the face of demographic change, global competition, and a growing shortage of skilled professionals.

This final session is aimed at anyone captivated by this fascination – exploring how we can use spaceflight to ignite enthusiasm for science, technology, and shaping the future. At its core is the personal account of an astronaut, bringing the abstract topic of spaceflight vividly to life: What does a launch feel like? What thoughts run through your mind in orbit? What skills and teams are required for a successful mission? And what lessons can be drawn from this experience for challenges here on Earth?

The session aims to inspire, spark curiosity, and broaden horizons – not only for STEM subjects but also for the many disciplines that shape the space sector: communication, law, politics, medicine, design, logistics, philosophy. It concludes the lecture series by highlighting that Europe’s future in space is decided not only in political bodies or mission control centers but also in classrooms, workshops, and lecture halls.

The event is organized in cooperation with the German Space Agency, the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the German Armed Forces Space Command, the Society for Security Policy (GSP), the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), the research network “Security and Technology in Space” (SichTRaum), the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), the Bonn/Rhine-Sieg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK Bonn-Rhein-Sieg), the Bonn Adult Education Center (VHS Bonn), and the student association ASTRA.

Welcome:

Dr. Enrico Fels

Managing Director of the Center for Advanced Security, Strategic and Integration Studies (CASSIS)

Lecture followed by discussion

Prof. Dr. Reinhold Ewald
Astronaut at the European Space Agency (ESA) and Space Ambassador for the State of North Rhine-Westphalia

Prof. Dr. Lars Hornuf
Professor of Finance and Financial Technology at the Technical University of Dresden (TU Dresden)