On Monday, January 19, 2026, the Brussels Laboratory of the Universe (BLU-ULB) held its Annual Meeting (BAM’26) at ULB on the Solbosch campus, bringing together nearly 60 ULB researchers from many disciplines around space science. This new edition once again highlighted the richness and diversity of space-related research activities at ULB.
The morning session was opened by an invited lecture from Michel Viso (former Head of Exobiology and Planetary Protection at CNES), devoted to a realistic assessment of the challenges of Mars exploration and human settlement beyond Earth. It was followed by a series of short scientific presentations covering a broad range of topics: astrobiology and extreme ecosystems, microgravity experiments, modelling of physico-chemical processes, space instrumentation, as well as cosmology, dark matter and large astrophysical surveys. This session perfectly illustrated BLU-ULB’s interfaculty approach, at the crossroads of physics, biology, Earth sciences and engineering.
Before lunch, the 2025 BLU funding recipients were announced, underlining the central role of BLU-ULB in supporting space-related projects at ULB.
In the afternoon, the meeting took on a strong outreach dimension with a Mini Space Day organized by Inforsciences and dedicated to around 100 secondary school students. The day concluded with a well-attended public evening lecture by Michel Viso, focused on the search for extraterrestrial life and the broader scientific and philosophical questions it raises.
Through this BAM’26, BLU-ULB once again demonstrated its role as a key driver of space research at ULB: federating communities, supporting emerging initiatives, and strengthening the visibility and impact of ULB’s activities in the space domain.
