From Research to Diplomacy: The Future of Transatlantic Engagement in Space

Space exploration has been a global endeavor since its inception in the 1950s. Since this time, incredible progress has been made through international – and especially transatlantic – partnerships. Europe has contributed to signature Astrophysics programs such as Hubble, Gamma Ray Observatory, and also launched the James Webb Space Telescope. NASA’s Orion spacecraft has circumnavigated the Moon, powered by the European Service Module. Perhaps no contribution has been greater than the international Space Station, in which the transatlantic partnership between NASA and ESA plays a leading role. The coming retirement of the ISS and the rise of commercial space stations, the future of Artemis, and our ability to continue exploring the Cosmos all depend strongly on the continuation and enrichment of these partnerships. This discussion will focus on the future opportunities and challenges in the landscape of transatlantic partnerships in space.

We are looking forward to a keynote speech by Professor John Horack followed by a discussion with Dr. Raúl González Muñoz.

Professor John Horack, Ph.D. assumes the role of Vice President for Research at Ohio State University on October 1, 2025. He is the inaugural holder of the Neil Armstrong Chair in Aerospace Policy at Ohio State University, with tenured, full-professor appointments in the College of Engineering’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the John Glenn College of Public Affairs. A 30-year veteran of the spaceflight industry, Dr. Horack also currently serves as the Senior Associate Dean of Engineering at Ohio State and is a globally recognized leader in space-based research, flight hardware development, program management, and space policy. He previously held leadership roles as Vice President at Teledyne Brown Engineering’s Space Systems Group, Vice President of Research at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and Senior Executive at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, where he received the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal. He began his NASA career in 1987 and held several different titles, including Assistant Director of the Space Transportation Programs and Projects Office, Assistant Director for Science Communications in the Space Sciences Laboratory, and Assistant Mission Scientist for the Astro-2 payload that flew on the Space Shuttle Endeavour. He holds a Ph.D. in Physics, has authored or co-authored over 100 publications, and is a licensed pilot.

Dr. Raúl González Muñoz is a Lecturer in Space Policy and Economy at the University of Leicester (UK) and a Research Fellow on the Geopolitics of Outer Space at the Academy of International Affairs NRW (Germany). He is also a Board Member of the Spanish Association for Aeronautical and Space Law AEDAE (Spain). Prior to his current positions he was a Scientific Project Lead in Capgemini Engineering and a member of the Space Task Force at the European External Action Service in the European Commission. He holds a Ph.D. in Aerospace Manufacturing from Cranfield University (UK), developed in close collaboration with Airbus, and has conducted studies at Sciences Po University (France) and the Polytechnic University of Valencia (Spain). His research focuses on space policy and economy, space security and defence and European strategic autonomy.

Dr. Martin Wein studied modern history and political science, specializing in international conflicts. Since 2004, he has been working as a freelancer for various media outlets and institutions and has published over 20 non-fiction books.

John Horack has been invited by U.S. Mission Germany for this U.S. speaker tour. Travel is supported by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.

Tickets are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. We kindly ask you to only reserve the number of tickets that you will definitely use. You do not need to print out your Eventbrite ticket. The name under which you reserved your tickets will suffice to enter.

The event will be held in English.

The event is a cooperation between the US Consulate General Düsseldorf, the Academy of International Affairs NRW and the AmerikaHaus NRW.

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