The new facility will work with companies, academic institutions and government agencies on “clean space” projects. The Luxembourg government is also considering providing NorthStar with funding. The firm said establishing a presence in the grand duchy gives it access to the European Union market. (La Presse)

Talking point: Space and satellites make up only two per cent of Luxembourg’s economy, but it’s providing tax and R&D incentives to grow the sector. It’s particularly focused on extraterrestrial mining, establishing a legal regime for asteroid resource extraction in 2016. NorthStar’s satellite network identifies and tracks objects in space, although it’s currently focused on other satellites and debris from destroyed or decommissioned devices. The company has also received substantial backing from its home governments, including a June deal with the Canadian Commercial Corporation to help it export to the U.S. and U.K., and $13 million in funding from two federal programs in November 2018.