Open Cosmos attends first Vaduz Space Dialogue to advance federated EU approach to space-based connectivity
The Principality of Liechtenstein convened senior representatives from European governments, institutions and the space industry in its capital, Vaduz, to examine how independently owned and governed satellite systems can work together to strengthen Europe’s secure connectivity, resilience and industrial competitiveness.
The Vaduz Space Dialogue 2026, hosted by the Liechtenstein Ministry for Home Affairs, Economy and Sports in cooperation with Open Cosmos, and with the support of the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI), focused on a central strategic question for Europe: how to strengthen European sovereignty and resilience by federating existing and future European space capabilities, while preserving national authority, commercial independence and the ability of trusted partners to contribute complementary strengths.
Participants recognised secure and resilient space-based connectivity as increasingly important to European sovereignty, security, prosperity and crisis response. They also underlined the importance of a competitive European industrial base capable of translating growing public and private investment into operational capability.
A particular focus of the Dialogue was federation: enabling independently owned and governed satellite systems to interoperate and contribute capacity while respecting national, institutional and commercial priorities.
Hubert Büchel, Minister of Home Affairs, Economy and Sport of Liechtenstein says: “Europe’s secure connectivity will be stronger if we can bring together sovereign capabilities while allowing countries to retain control over their own assets, priorities and security requirements. This requires trust, interoperability and a willingness to work across national, institutional and commercial boundaries.
Liechtenstein wants to be a reliable and constructive partner in that effort. We can contribute regulatory capability, strategic frequency resources and an increasing national space ecosystem. The Vaduz Space Dialogue is intended to help turn these complementary strengths across Europe into practical cooperation – strengthening resilience, supporting European industry and ensuring that Europe can make better use of the capabilities it already has and those it is now developing”
The discussions identified several practical requirements for such an approach, including common technical interfaces and service standards, security accreditation, capacity-sharing arrangements, national authorisation, registration and liability frameworks, and coordination of frequency assignments.
Spectrum was recognised as a strategic and scarce resource at the heart of Europe’s future space-based connectivity.
Liechtenstein sets out broader national space ambition
At the Dialogue, Liechtenstein set out an initiative intended to support secure, resilient and European-led connectivity with global reach, while placing it within the Principality's broader ambition to develop a credible national space ecosystem and contribute to European sovereignty.
The Principality administers satellite network filings under the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Radio Regulations. Liechtenstein intends to use the strategic opportunity associated with these filings as an early enabling measure within its national space strategy, which is currently under development. The emerging strategy is expected to look beyond connectivity alone, supporting wider ambitions around space industry, the use of space-derived data and the development of national and regional capabilities and partnerships.
Dr Bianca Lins, Head of Space for the Principality of Liechtenstein points out: “Our ambition is to build a space ecosystem that reflects Liechtenstein’s particular strengths and creates tangible opportunities for our economy. Our national space strategy therefore looks beyond connectivity alone – at specialised industry, space data and applications, regulatory capability, international cooperation and the strategic use of frequency resources.
For a country of our size, the key is to connect these strengths with European and international partners and value chains. That is how Liechtenstein can develop meaningful national capabilities while making a practical contribution to the wider European space ecosystem. The partnership with Open Cosmos is one concrete example of how we can translate this ambition into tangible space activity while contributing to a more connected, resilient and competitive European space sector.”
Within that broader national ambition, Liechtenstein also re-affirmed Open Cosmos as its strategic industrial partner for the connectivity initiative. Two satellites developed and built by Open Cosmos were launched in January 2026, and more are ready to launch - demonstrating tangible space activity linked to Liechtenstein and the industrial capability underpinning the partnership.
Liechtenstein and Open Cosmos expressed their readiness to develop the capability on an open and interoperable basis and to explore with interested European partners how it could complement and connect with existing and planned national, commercial and European systems.
“Europe’s challenge is not a lack of ambition; it is turning that ambition into capability at the speed and scale that is now required,” says Rafel Jordá Siquier, founder & CEO at Open Cosmos. “Federation gives us a practical way to do that, connecting sovereign and commercial assets while allowing nations to retain control of their own capabilities and priorities.
“Open Cosmos has invested heavily in manufacturing capabilities across Europe, designed to deliver at pace and at scale, with the capacity to produce up to one satellite per day. Combined with Liechtenstein’s strategic spectrum assets, we have the foundations to move quickly from ambition to operational capability.”
The initiative is intended, where useful and desirable, to reinforce national developments including those in Germany, Spain and Poland, as well as European programmes and capabilities including EU IRIS², GOVSATCOM and relevant European Space Agency resilience programmes.
The Dialogue highlighted the potential for Liechtenstein’s initiative and Open Cosmos’s cooperative approach to contribute to a wider federation of European capabilities. Over time, such a framework could also support cooperation with trusted international partners.
Hermann Ludwig Moeller, Director of the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI) commented: “European sovereignty in space depends not only on individual assets, but on Europe’s ability to connect and make effective use of its own capabilities. Today brought policy, regulatory and industrial leaders around the same table to focus on the practical questions that will determine how a greater federation of European secure connectivity can work. Spectrum, regulation, security and industrial capability cannot be addressed in isolation. Europe needs the frameworks, trusted partnerships and sustained dialogue that will allow different capabilities to reinforce one another.”
From dialogue to practical cooperation
The Vaduz meeting is intended to establish a continuing forum for practical cooperation rather than a one-off discussion. Participants invited Liechtenstein, together with Open Cosmos and with the support of ESPI, to facilitate continued dialogue through 2026 and 2027 among interested governments, institutions and industry.
Emile de Rijk, CEO & founder SWISSto12 said of the Dialogue: “Europe’s future secure connectivity will not be delivered by a single system, technology or orbit. Resilience comes from bringing together complementary capabilities and ensuring they can operate securely and effectively as part of a wider architecture.
“What makes the Vaduz Dialogue particularly important is the recognition that spectrum, regulation and interoperability are as strategic as the technology itself. The opportunity is to connect Europe’s combining strengths in a way that preserves sovereign control while creating greater resilience and flexibility.”
[or other UK representative] Emily Partington, Deputy Head of Mission and HM Consul-General for Switzerland and Liechtenstein said: “Secure and resilient connectivity is increasingly important to our economies, our security and our ability to respond to future challenges. No country can address those challenges in isolation, which is why dialogue between governments, institutions and industry is so valuable.
“Liechtenstein has brought together an important group of partners in Vaduz to focus not only on ambition, but on the practical questions of interoperability, resilience and cooperation.”
The Vaduz Space Dialogue reflects Liechtenstein’s intention to establish itself as a reliable partner in European space cooperation, contributing to Europe’s sovereignty, security and resilience while developing its own broader national ambitions in space. By combining regulatory capability, strategic spectrum resources, industrial innovation, space data and international partnership, the Principality aims to build a national ecosystem that can address domestic priorities while contributing practical capability to wider European requirements.
