Interview with Margit Mischkulnig, Head of Department for Space Affairs, Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, Vienna
The European: Ms Mischkulnig, you are the Head of the “Space and Aviation Technologies” department in the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Energy, Environment, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK). An impressive variety of topics brought together in a single ministry in Vienna, whereas in other countries they are spread over several ministries. Does this create synergies or is it sometimes difficult to reconcile the different areas of your ministry’s responsibilities?
Margit Mischkulnig: Indeed, our ministry has a very broad remit and in addition, it is also Austria’s Space Ministry.
Satellite-based data and services support the green and digital transformation of our society and economy and make a significant contribution to achieving Austria’s goal of climate neutrality by 2040. Therefore, it is very positive from the space perspective to have so many potential users in-house and to be able to cooperate closely to see where space data can satisfy these special needs.
The European: Can you give a concrete example of such cooperation?
Margit Mischkulnig: A good example is the development of a demonstrator called “The Green Transition Information Factory” (GTIF) that was developed by Austrian space companies in very close cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA). GTIF makes the benefits and potential of space data very clear to the non-space sector.
The European: What significance do space and space technologies have for our European societies and for our future?
Margit Mischkulnig: Space technologies, data and services have become indispensable in our daily lives: when using mobile phones and car navigation systems, watching satellite TV, or withdrawing cash. Satellites provide immediate information about disasters and enable emergency and rescue services to be better coordinated. Agriculture benefits from improved land use. Transportation and energy infrastructure is safer and can be more effectively managed thanks to satellite technologies.
The European: And global challenges such as climate change require a lot of detailed information about our planet. What role can space-based solutions play in this challenging field?
Margit Mischkulnig: The 2021 report of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identified earth observation satellites as a critical tool to monitor the causes and effects of climate change. More than half of the Essential Climate Variables defined by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) depend on space observations. Therefore, space assets are the key elements in providing observations and data that are global, uniform, sustained over years and repeated regularly.
The European: Space also has a role to play for our security by, for example, preventing military aggression through predictive intelligence. At the same time, space has become a place of global competition and the race to master space technologies runs the risk of exacerbating geopolitical conflicts. It seems to me that we are a long way from “peaceful space”?
Margit Mischkulnig: Space is indeed crucial for defence and security. The EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence of 2023 highlights the need to protect and increase the resilience of space infrastructure, strengthen technological sovereignty and address risks. And with the growing space economy, we also need to think about sustainability in space. There is a clear need for common rules governing safe and sustainable activities in outer space.
The European: What is the European strategy in this field?
Margit Mischkulnig: Europe is already taking first steps both in the observation and detection of space objects and in the management of space traffic, but we are only at the beginning.
The European: Is Austria playing a role in this process?
Margit Mischkulnig: Austria is very proud to have an international space hub in Vienna, with the UN office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI). Both already have sustainability in space on their agenda. To further advance work in this area, Austria will set up a Centre of Excellence for Space and Sustainability at ESPI, located in Vienna. The Centre aims to develop interdisciplinary expertise and know-how on the role of space in supporting sustainable development on Earth and will also address issues regarding the environmental footprint of the space sector itself as well as sustainability issues in outer space.
The European: We in Europe must no doubt combine all our efforts to make cooperative progress in space. Is Brussels doing enough to foster industrial synergies and human resources here?
Margit Mischkulnig: Europe is destined to be a global space power! Increasing global competition forces the European Commission, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Member States to further strengthen cooperation.
The European: And what is the reality?
Margit Mischkulnig: Unfortunately, we are still a long way off. Nevertheless, I am convinced that it is essential to have a joint and coordinated approach at all levels to underpin Europe’s strong role in space. Furthermore, it is also necessary to communicate clearly to the outside world what goals are being pursued and what joint steps and measures are being taken to forge an independent and globally competitive European space sector.
The European: Although Austria is a small “space nation” compared to France, Germany, Italy and Spain, your country plays an important role in the concert.
Margit Mischkulnig: That is true. Austria’s membership of ESA and investment in specific ESA programmes as well as our national space funding have been an incentive for Austrian space companies to build up specific competencies and technological leadership, essential for participation in international value chains. A highly competitive supply chain consisting of numerous dynamic small and medium-sized enterprises, an increasing number of start-ups and established research institutes characterise Austria’s space landscape. But the competition is tough!
The European: Space is a key driver for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). How do we introduce future generations to this topic?
Margit Mischkulnig: To illustrate the usefulness of space solutions, let me cite a 2018 study done by UNOOSA together with the then European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency (now named EU Agency for the Space Programme, EUSPA). This analysis shows that using space solutions has a positive impact on the implementation of all the SDGs. Space solutions help either monitor the status of achievement of a given SDG or actively contribute to its fulfilment. However, at the global level, we can see that space assets are often underutilised and access to the benefits of space remains unequal. There is a lack of information, skills and capacity to use space data.
The European: So, what steps need to be taken?
Margit Mischkulnig: We need to link the different sectors – space innovations and sector policies – more closely so that they can work together to develop innovative tools and solutions. In this sense, we are pursuing a real dynamic of change here in Austria through research, technology and innovation in the areas of climate neutrality and sustainability. We are convinced that innovation must become more transformative and be designed to advance sector policies and their objectives. In this way, we can create a bigger impact.
The European: Can you say a word about the report “EU Space supporting a world of 8 billion people: Contribution to the Space 2030 Agenda” published by UNOOSA and EUSPA in 2023?
Margit Mischkulnig: This joint report shows that cooperation at different levels between systems (Earth observation, GNSS, SATCOM, meteorology) and technologies (artificial intelligence, big data) and between stakeholder organisations (private and public partnerships, networks of academia or entrepreneurs) is of paramount importance to unlock the full potential of space technologies in countries and across continents.
The European: Isn’t that exactly the goal of the yearly Word Space Forum, to forge a new international consensus on how we deliver a better present and safeguard the future?
Margit Mischkulnig: You are right, the objective of this yearly event, launched by Austria and UNOOSA back in 2019, is to start a dialogue within the UN system that brings together diplomats, representatives from the space sector, policymakers, non-governmental organisations and young people. The last World Space Forum in November 2023 focused on providing space related input for the next Summit of the Future (September 2024) and the Pact for the Future. The zero draft of the Pact for the Future, which was presented at the end of January 2024, contains several paragraphs on outer space, for example: “We recognize that outer space is a rapidly changing environment and that there is an urgent need to increase international cooperation to harness the potential of space as a major driver of the Sustainable Development Goals.”
The European: Ms Mischkulnig, thank you for this conversation. I wish you every success in your important endeavours.
