Coimbra brings together international personalities from space exploration, science, and innovation

Coimbra brings international personalities from space exploration, science, and innovation One of the scientists responsible for NASA's Artemis mission, Kelsey Young, and the astronaut from the European Space Agency (ESA) Andreas Mogensen will be among the international experts in Coimbra to discuss the future of space exploration. "We will have the figure who is currently at the forefront and is Kelsey Young. She is the lead scientist of the Artemis mission and is responsible for the lunar mission, both from a scientific and team preparation perspective," revealed the CEO of Expanding World and co-founder of the GLEX Summit, Manuel Vaz. The city of Coimbra will host GLEX Ignition 2026 on the 29th and 30th, which will bring together scientists, astronauts, and international experts to discuss the challenges of lunar exploration, the search for extraterrestrial life, the evolution of Venus, and the role of space technology in planetary protection. During the event presentation, Manuel Vaz explained that the city of Coimbra was chosen to host this "global summit on exploration" because "it has produced knowledge for centuries." "This edition of GLEX Ignition will reaffirm the historical and future role of Portugal and Coimbra in exploration, bringing together the main explorers, scientists, and innovators from around the world to exchange knowledge and debate the most pressing issues of the planet," he added. Kelsey Young, who has led the integration of the Artemis program's scientific teams into NASA's flight control operations since 2022, will address the scientific objectives of the Artemis II mission and the challenges of lunar exploration. In addition to this North American scientist, Andreas Mogensen, an ESA astronaut and former commander of the International Space Station (ISS), as well as Pete Worden, former director of NASA Ames Research Center and current executive director of Breakthrough Initiatives, which include a $100 million project to investigate interstellar travel, will be in Coimbra. Among the 11 international speakers—who will address the Moon, the exploration of Venus, the search for other habitable planets, the observation of Earth, and the link between science, culture, and ancestral knowledge—is Sue Smrekar, responsible for NASA's VERITAS mission to Venus. According to the organizers, the main program takes place on the 29th at the São Francisco Convent, while the following day, Coimbra Supernova -- Frontiers in Action will feature a forum with limited participation, two conferences, and Q&A sessions. For the President of the Coimbra City Council, Ana Abrunhosa, this event is an opportunity for Coimbra to bring its researchers, institutions, and companies closer to an international community that works in some of the most advanced areas of science and technology. "Coimbra has knowledge, talent, scientific and technological capacity, and companies capable of competing internationally. Our challenge is to transform this knowledge into more innovation, investment, economic activity, and qualified employment," she asserted. The Rector of the University of Coimbra (UC), Amílcar Falcão, indicated that GLEX Ignition 2026 reinforces Coimbra as a territory of knowledge, innovation, and global ambition. "For the UC, whose strategy has increasingly conferred particular relevance to the areas of space, this initiative constitutes an opportunity to promote the excellence of the research developed in our institution and strengthen links with national and international partners," he stated. GLEX Ignition 2026 is organized by Expanding World Portugal, in partnership with The Explorers Club, from New York, and aims to strengthen the link between the international scientific community and Coimbra's innovation ecosystem. CMM // SSS