Transitioning from Engineering to Space Policy with Quentin Verspieren, ESA

Episode Summary: In this episode of the Space Policy Pioneers Podcast, host Andy Williams, Director of Science in Space, chats with Quentin Verspieren, the Project Lead for one of the European Space Agency (ESA) new accelerators. Quentin shares his unique career journey from aerospace engineering to public policy, providing valuable insights for listeners interested in exploring their own career paths in space policy. He discusses his role at the ESA, explains the goal of the ESA accelerator projects, and emphasizes the growing importance of space policy. Additionally, Quentin provides an overview of the key elements that make up a promising job market in space policy.

Bio: Quentin Verspieren is the Protect Accelerator Coordinator at the Strategy and Transformation Office, Directorate of Operations, European Space Agency. In this role, he leads the development of ambitious European initiatives on debris mitigation and remediation, and on space weather services. Dr. Verspieren is also a visiting Assistant Professor at the Science, Technology, and Innovation Governance (STIG) program, Graduate School of Public Policy, The University of Tokyo, where his research primarily focuses on space policymaking and technology development in developing countries and on international regime-making for space security, safety and sustainability. He has two master’s degrees in aerospace engineering (ISAE-SUPAERO and The University of Tokyo) and a Ph.D. in public policy (The University of Tokyo).

Disclaimer: All guests are talking in their personal capacity and are not representing any official position of their former or current employing organization.

Links and Resources

ISAE Supaero School, Toulouse: https://www.isae-supaero.fr/en/

University of Tokyo, Public Policy School: https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/en/academics/grad_public_policy.html

Prof. Shinici Nakasuka: https://www.u-tokyo.ac.jp/focus/en/people/people000178.html

ArkEdge Space: https://arkedgespace.com/en

SpaceWays Study on Space Traffic Management: https://spaceways-h2020.eu/

European space Agency: https://www.esa.int/

EU Agency for the Space Programme: https://www.euspa.europa.eu/

EUMETSAT: https://www.eumetsat.int/

ESO: https://eso.org

European Space Policy Institute: https://www.espi.or.at/

ESA Accelerators: https://vision.esa.int/category/ambition/accelerate-the-use-of-space/

ESA Careers site: https://jobs.esa.int/

ESA Director General: https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Corporate_news/Josef_Aschbacher_ESA_Director_General

Report of the ESA High Level Advisory Group: https://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/corporate/h-lag_brochure.pdf

ESA Space Safety Programme: https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Space_Safety_Programme_at_Ministerial_Council

ESA Zero Debris Approach: https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Clean_Space/ESA_s_Zero_Debris_approach

Zero Debris Charter: https://esoc.esa.int/sites/default/files/Zero_Debris_Charter_EN.pdf

US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) 5 year deorbiting rule: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-adopts-new-5-year-rule-deorbiting-satellites

French Space Operations Act, 2008: https://download.esa.int/docs/ECSL/France.pdf

Information about the review of the French space law: https://indico.esa.int/event/450/contributions/8993/attachments/5692/9448/update%20of%20the%20FSOA-T4SC_CSID%202023.pdf

Galileo Satellite Navigation: https://www.euspa.europa.eu/european-space/galileo/What-Galileo

Useful Resources Comparison between Japanese and American space policy: https://www.thespacereview.com/article/3589/1

List of space sustainability charters and initiatives:

Interagency Space Debris Coordination Committee: https://iadc-home.org/what_iadc

Space Safety Coalition: https://spacesafety.org/

Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA) Code of Conduct: https://gsoasatellite.com/wp-content/uploads/GSOA-Code-of-Conduct-Paper.pdf

Space Sustainability Rating: https://spacesustainabilityrating.org/

Earth-Space Sustainability Initiative (ESSI): https://www.essi.org/

Net Zero Space Initiative: https://www.netzerospaceinitiative.org/

Zero Debris Charter: https://esoc.esa.int/sites/default/files/Zero_Debris_Charter_EN.pdf

UN Long Term Sustainability Guidelines: https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/topics/long-term-sustainability-of-outer-space-activities.html

UN OOSA Compendium on space debris standards: https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/topics/space-debris/compendium.html