Back from Oxford: A Reflection on Space, Society, and the Power of Perspective

InnovaSpace Team comment: Last week, we shared a post about the many ways people can contribute to space exploration—without ever wearing a spacesuit. This week, we’re delighted to feature a reflection from our friend and colleague Lukasz Wilczynski, founder of the European Space Foundation and creator of the European Rover Challenge.
Łukasz recently spent a week at the University of Oxford, participating in a high-level programme of The Karman Project and Oxford Space Initiative with future leaders of the global space community. His words below speak for themselves—rich in insight, humour, and a deep belief in space as a tool for positive change.

Author: Lukasz Wilczynski

President & CEO of European Space Foundation and Planet Partners

Back home, meaning the end of a great adventure at Oxford University. I will admit that I needed this. Every day, from early morning until late night: lectures and endless conversations about space, the future, the impact of the space sector on other industries and on humanity itself, projects like our European Rover Challenge that change our reality for the better. We also talked about how to communicate this sector, because even for example the last few weeks in Poland, it is obvious that there is a big problem with it.
Space is not only the domain of scientists, nor governments. It's also not a domain of entrepreneurs or investors only.

Space is for everyone, because it concerns each of us—touching on culture, education, technology, even defence. That’s why this sector underpins the modern world. Internet, card payments, GPS in cars or planes (did you know that 80% of your flight is on autopilot?), modern agriculture and... clothing. Ride-share apps like Uber or Bolt? All of that is thanks to space programs.
Space is also about diplomacy. Missions such as Apollo-Soyuz, the ISS, and the Artemis program show how space can foster international cooperation. And that kind of collaboration is more necessary than ever, because we live on a barrel of dust that someone is constantly trying to set on fire.
I’m happy I could spend this time in such a selective company of future space-sector leaders from around the world—walking through historic corridors, and visiting places once frequented by the likes of J.R.R. Tolkien (after all, much of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were born in Oxford).
Now I return to my mission of promoting the space sector in Poland—and I warmly invite everyone to join us at the European Rover Challenge, taking place the last weekend of August in Kraków. More information can be found at roverchallenge.eu.

FINAL THOUGHTS
At InnovaSpace, we echo Łukasz’s sentiment: space is not a remote, elite pursuit - it’s woven into the fabric of our daily lives and our global future. It shapes how we live, how we connect, and how we look at the future.
Whether you're an engineer, artist, teacher, policymaker, or simply have a curious mind—there’s a role for you in space.
Want to get involved? Start by visiting events like the European Rover Challenge or following space organisations online.
Join in the conversation because space needs all of us!