Paris(ESA)– The ‘Space For Our Future’ exhibition, created by ESA and the European Commission, will be formally opened on 28 October in Brussels by EC President José Manuel Barroso and ESA’s Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain.

The display highlights Europe’s successes in space, the concrete benefits being delivered to citizens, and the developments expected in the near future.

This showcase will take place from 27 October to 14 November at the Berlaymont building in Brussels, headquarters of the European Commission. It will be inaugurated on 28 October at 12:00 CET in front of EU and national representatives and media.

Organised with the support of France’s CNES space agency and Arianespace, the European launch services provider, the exhibition reflects the whole European space sector as it also involves the participation of Eumetsat, the European Satellite Operators Association, Eutelsat, Inmarsat, SES and Hispasat.

It marks 50 years of Europe in space and underlines the close cooperation between ESA, its Member States and the EU, all of which provide a strong foundation on which to build for the future.

Space is a valuable means for boosting public support for the ‘European project’. The exhibition will contribute to the collective appreciation that, together, we are able to perform the most spectacular projects and ensure our strategic independence while promoting growth and employment in Europe.

The exhibition is structured around the three pillars of knowledge and innovation, services to citizens, and competitiveness. It presents the major challenges facing Europe and highlights the space projects and initiatives that will help tackle them.

On 12 November, the exhibition will provide a venue to follow ESA’s Rosetta mission as the first-ever landing on a comet is attempted. This remarkable effort, a milestone in human history, has been made possible by European scientists and engineers. Media in Brussels, EU representatives and authorities will also have the opportunity to witness this historic moment.