Adriaan, we hear a lot about the Artemis mission. What is the Netherlands actually involved in?

Artemis II marks a historic moment; for the first time since 1972, humans will fly to the moon. What many people do not know is that the Dutch aerospace sector directly contributes to this. The European Space Agency ESA provides the crucial 'European Service Module' for the Orion spacecraft, supplying astronauts with oxygen, water, and propulsion. The power for this module is generated by high-quality Dutch solar panels from Leiden.

You have researched Dutch policy for the past seven years. What are the key conclusions?

The evaluation shows that Dutch space policy in the period 2017-2024 has been efficient; public resources were utilised effectively. However, the effectiveness lagged behind the high ambitions. This was mainly due to limited public resources and the fact that Dutch contributions to ESA remained relatively low compared to other member states. For example, relative to the gross domestic product (GDP), the Netherlands invested less than the agreed norm. Space activities are to a large extent a public good with positive external effects, and participating in international programmes achieves economies of scale.

Furthermore, Dutch space policy has substantially changed in recent years, with more emphasis on safety, defence and strategic autonomy. Most recommendations from the previous evaluation of space policy (covering the period 2012-2016), conducted by Dialogic, have been adopted. Unfortunately, one recommendation that was not implemented was an increase in the budget for space policy, despite being perceived as necessary and urgent by the space sector.

How does the Netherlands perform economically and scientifically within this international context?

Scientifically, the Netherlands is among the world leaders, with institutions such as SRON, TNO and NLR playing a prominent role in international missions. Our institutions and companies are essential in developing advanced instruments for applications such as earth observation and climate research. Economically, the so-called 'geo-return' is a significant success: for every euro the Netherlands invests in ESA, approximately €1.08 currently flows back to Dutch businesses and knowledge institutions in the form of contracts. Although this geo-return has shown a downward trend over the years, ESTEC (the European space research centre in Noordwijk, partly supported with Dutch funding) has led to positive side effects for Dutch businesses and knowledge institutions.

The report mentions the future of space policy as promising. What is this based on?

The upcoming space policy looks promising, partly due to the introduction of the 'Long-term Space Agenda' (LTR) in 2024. This agenda defines six clear missions focusing on themes such as national security, climate, scientific excellence, and economic growth. Important steps are being taken in governance with the establishment of the Interdepartmental Council for Space Domain (IRR) and the transformation of the Netherlands Space Office (NSO) into the Netherlands Space Agency (NLSA) in March 2026. By strengthening the execution through the change from an office to an agency, the Netherlands can better represent its interests in European organisations like ESA and gain more international visibility. Additionally, in November of last year during the ESA ministerial conference in Bremen, the Netherlands announced an increase of €109 million in its contribution to ESA for the period 2026-2028.

What are the key lessons for the coming years?

While the foundation is solid, in the future, the Netherlands must make tough choices. With current resources, it is challenging to fully realise all ambitions simultaneously. Prioritising missions where the Netherlands already excels, such as earth observation and satellite communication, is essential. There is also a need to focus on recruiting technical talent and improving collaboration between the ESA establishment in Noordwijk (ESTEC) and the Dutch ecosystem to maximise the opportunities that space offers. Furthermore, the government could act even more as a launching customer for the space sector and create conditions for Dutch space companies to become international leaders, for instance by making satellite data as open as possible to develop (innovative) products contributing to societal transitions and Dutch economic capacity. Finally, it is crucial to formulate the objectives of future space policy as concretely as possible (for example, with more tailored indicators), offering better options to monitor, evaluate, and adjust the policy.