Space for Energy or Energy for Space?

Advanced energy systems are a strategic enabler for space and defence missions, where lightweight design, reliability, long operational life, and performance under extreme or hazardous conditions are essential. This session brings together Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), research and development organisations, regulatory and policy driven bodies, and large industrial players to address the full innovation and deployment chain of next generation energy solutions.

The discussion will focus on advanced and nuclear based energy systems for space, including radioisotope power systems and compact nuclear reactors for long duration and deep space missions, alongside advanced batteries, advanced PV, hybrid architectures, and high efficiency power electronics. Particular attention will be given to the potential benefits and challenges of integration and distribution, in the perspective of a multi-source energy system with manyfold energy uses.

Research and development bodies will address technology maturation, testing, and validation, while regulatory and policy actors will contribute with perspectives on safety frameworks, certification, strategic autonomy, and alignment with European and defence policies. Large enterprises and system integrators will highlight industrial scalability, supply chain resilience, and system level integration into complex platforms. The session aims to foster cross actor collaboration in order to accelerate innovation, de-risk deployment, and strengthen European competitiveness in critical space and defence energy technologies.

Complementing this hardware-focused framing, long-duration and deep-space missions require energy systems to operate with limited or no ground intervention. This positions the digital, AI-driven layer as a necessary part of the discussion.

From the opposite direction, Earth Observation products and the computer-vision and machine-learning pipelines that exploit them will be discussed as critical input for forecasting and diagnostics of terrestrial renewable plants.