OSLO – Spaceport Norway 2025 on 4 December served as a landmark event for the Norwegian space sector. Opening the conference at a packed Mesh Youngstorget, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Cecilie Myrseth, delivered a powerful message: Norway has bold ambitions as a space nation and is ready to leverage its unique capacities to build a stronger and more resilient Europe.
The conference, which gathered 180 key players from across Norway, the Nordics, and Europe, represented a broad cross-section of industry, research, and government. The next generation was also well-represented by students from all major universities in Norway. Collectively, the event confirmed that the Norwegian space sector is entering a high-growth phase—a development inextricably linked to the broader European drive for greater market autonomy, increased launch capacity, and strategic resilience.
However, as ambitions soar, a central question remains: how will these high-level national goals manifest as concrete support and opportunities to scale the industry further? For the gathered leaders and entrepreneurs, the focus is now on how policy will translate into the practical mechanisms required to turn Norway's capacity into long-term growth and international competitiveness.
Minister Cecilie Myrseth’s opening address set a high bar for the years ahead. She confirmed that the government is preparing a new parliamentary report (Stortingsmelding) to facilitate a significant gear shift in Norwegian space activity.
"We have great ambitions. Norway shall be a forefront nation in space activities," Myrseth stated, adding with a smile: "We are going to make space sexy again."
The Minister outlined three primary strategic pillars designed to strengthen both Norway and Europe:
The Minister also designated 2026 as a dedicated space year to showcase Norwegian space capabilities to the world.
The national ambition was contextualized by a compelling economic analysis. Audun Wickstrand Iversen (DNB Asset Management) shared how global capital now views the space economy as a serious arena for growth. Drawing on the S-curve of technology adoption, he demonstrated that the industry is moving into an aggressive mass growth phase.
This was further supported by Philip Thomas (ESA) and Christian Hauglie-Hanssen (DG NOSA), who both emphasized that Europe is proactively pivoting toward agility, innovation, and autonomous capabilities following the crucial CM25 ministerial meeting.
The energy of the day reached a peak during the launch of Space Lab—Norway’s first orbital launch service provider. Highlighting the entrepreneurial spirit of the community, the company secured immediate interest and over 500,000 NOK in audience investment from 2D Holding during the event, bringing the company close to completing its first major round of investment—a testament to the quality of the Spaceport Norway community.
As the day drew to a close, the conversation shifted from industrial capacity to the broader human responsibility of space exploration. In the session "Space and humanity, ethics and peace in the NEW space age", the audience explored the moral implications of our orbital presence.
Vincent Seffinga (PhD Researcher, UiO) opened with a philosophical keynote on whether space belongs to no one or everyone, while Greg M. Reichberg (Research Professor, PRIO) delivered a moving keynote on "Satellites for Peace." He explored how high-resolution data can be used for mediation and humanitarian protection, serving as a vital tool for global stability. These sessions, moderated by Emma Gatti, reminded us that as Norway builds its technical capabilities, the ethical framework we operate within is critical to our contribution to the international community.
The energy of our recent new event was made possible by a dedicated group of partners who share our vision for the future. We extend a sincere thank you to the organizations that stood directly behind this latest landmark gathering in Oslo:
This collective momentum marks a new chapter as we enter 2026—marking ten years since we first began developing Spaceport Norway. What started as a local initiative has grown into a significant international platform.
"We are proud of what we have achieved together, attracting speakers and companies from the US to Japan, and of course, across Europe and Norway, while supporting a vibrant student community," says Spaceport Norway founder, Ole Dokka.
"Seeing that several startups have been founded as a direct result of being at Spaceport Norway, and witnessing the birth of numerous collaborations and projects, is exactly why we do this. But based on the growth we see now, we can—and will—do more".
Beyond our most recent event, we wish to recognize the enduring network of trusted partners across industry and academia who have been instrumental in our journey over the past decade:
A special mention goes to the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA), whose vital support from the very start has been the cornerstone of this ten-year development.
A big thank you to all!
To maintain this momentum, several key initiatives were announced:
DNB Asset Management has identified the coming decade as a mass growth phase for the space economy; we enter this next stage of our journey with great enthusiasm, dedicated to being the essential network and meeting place for those building the space infrastructure that modern life, peace, and security depend on.
As we close the chapter on 2025, we want to thank everyone who contributed to the energy and insights of this past year—we look forward to continuing the journey together in 2026.