ESPI Announced 2026 Essay Competition Winners
Sara Fernández and Stefanie Gottschalk earned top honors for their policy briefs on European space initiatives.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Space
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The European Space Policy Institute has selected two winners for its 2026 Essay Competition. The honorees were recognized for their original analysis of European space policy at a recent event in Madrid.
Why it matters
The competition serves as a vital platform for integrating next-generation perspectives into the ongoing dialogue surrounding European space policy. It encourages young experts to contribute substantive, solution-oriented policy briefs to the industry.
Applicants between 18 and 35 years old submitted original policy analyses addressing one of three designated questions. The two winners gained full access to the Space Debate Europe conference.
The players
European Space Policy Institute
This is an independent think tank that provides policy-oriented research and analysis to support the European space sector.
Sara Fernández
She is one of the two winners of the 2026 ESPI Essay Competition recognized for her contribution to space policy analysis.
Stefanie Gottschalk
She is one of the two winners of the 2026 ESPI Essay Competition recognized for her contribution to space policy analysis.
The details
Participants were required to craft a short policy brief that provided original analysis on critical European space policy challenges. Sara Fernández and Stefanie Gottschalk were selected as the successful contributors and subsequently honored at the Space Debate Europe conference.
Timeline
The ESPI Essay Competition took place in 2026.
The Big Picture
This story follows a pattern set by the Space Debate Europe conference by utilizing the platform to bridge the gap between academic theory and high-level policy dialogue.
The competition identifies emerging policy experts who may eventually influence future European space initiatives and regulatory frameworks. For young professionals, the program provides a direct pathway to engage with international decision-makers and high-level debate.
The takeaway
Engaging with policy competitions allows the next generation of researchers to shape the trajectory of institutional space agendas. Young contributors should monitor specific institutional calls for papers to capitalize on similar networking and professional development opportunities.
Further reading
Learn more about the evolving landscape of Space policy and academic research contributions.
More information
Review the full 2026 competition details and submission guidelines on the official ESPI portal.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ESPI.
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