Space is no longer defined by engineering alone. The sector is becoming simultaneously geopolitical, commercial, regulatory, financial, and security-driven. The professionals who will shape its next decade will not simply understand the technical systems behind space missions. They will understand how the entire ecosystem operates.

The Space Sector Unlocked Program is designed for experienced space professionals seeking to move beyond technical specialization into strategic leadership.

Over four intensive days, participants engage directly with some of the individuals who have shaped Europe’s space sector from the inside: the mission leader behind Rosetta, senior architects of Copernicus, former ESA directors responsible for Earth Observation programs, and European security and satellite policy leaders. The program also includes an on-site visit to ESA’s European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) in Villafranca del Castillo, where critical space operations and scientific missions are coordinated.

Developed by IE School of Politics, Economics and Global Affairs in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA), the program bridges technical expertise with the strategic, economic, regulatory, and managerial capabilities increasingly required across the sector.