NL Space Week 2026

NL Space Week 2026 runs from Saturday 26 September to Sunday 4 October: a nationwide programme of open days, workshops and events across the Dutch space sector. The week is initiated by NL Space Campus, in collaboration with ESA ESTEC in Noordwijk and with support from the wider Dutch space industry. The organisers expect more than 10,000 visitors across the programme.

Why it matters

This is the week the Dutch space sector opens its doors in one coordinated push rather than through scattered open days. Two anchor events are already confirmed on official pages: ESA’s ESTEC Open Days in Noordwijk on the opening weekend, and the SRON Open Days in Leiden and Groningen, which bookend the week exactly.

Programme highlights

• ESA ESTEC Open Days, Noordwijk, Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September: the fifteenth edition of ESA’s annual open days at its ESTEC site, held a week earlier than usual. The two days have different audiences, so check which one you are booking
• ESTEC on Saturday 26 September: the open day for people with disability and their carers, with its own registration page on esa.int
• ESTEC on Sunday 27 September: the day for the general public, with registration opening on 31 August
• SRON Open Day Leiden, Saturday 26 September, 11:00 to 16:00, Niels Bohrweg 4, Leiden Bio Science Park
• SRON Open Day Groningen, Sunday 4 October, 12:00 to 17:00, Kapteynborg, Landleven 12, Zernike Campus
• DEMOday, announced as a component of the week; details were still to follow at the time of writing

Practical information

There is no central NL Space Week ticket: admission is arranged per event, and organisations across the sector can still add events to the programme. The SRON open days are free, and SRON notes that neither of its sites has food facilities, so bring something to eat. The two ESTEC days are not interchangeable: Saturday 26 September is ESA’s open day for people with disability and their carers, and Sunday 27 September is the general public day, with registration for the Sunday opening on 31 August.

Common questions

When is NL Space Week 2026?

From Saturday 26 September to Sunday 4 October 2026, at locations across the Netherlands.

Is there one ticket for the whole week?

No. Admission is handled per event; some components are free, others have their own registration.

Are the SRON open days free?

Yes. Leiden opens on 26 September from 11:00 to 16:00 and Groningen on 4 October from 12:00 to 17:00, both without an admission fee. Neither site has food facilities.

What are the ESTEC Open Days?

ESA opens its ESTEC technical centre in Noordwijk for the fifteenth time, a week earlier than usual. Saturday 26 September is the open day for people with disability and their carers. Sunday 27 September is the day for the general public, and registration for it opens on 31 August.

Which ESTEC day should the general public book?

Sunday 27 September. Saturday 26 September is reserved for people with disability and their carers, who register through ESA’s separate page for that day.

Who organises the week?

NL Space Campus initiates it, in collaboration with ESA ESTEC and with support from the Dutch space sector. Organisations can submit their own events for the programme.