The Embassy of Monaco Highlights the Principality’s Role in the Space Innovation at the “Earth to Space” Festival in Washington
The Embassy of Monaco in the United States took center stage at the international “EARTH to SPACE: Arts Breaking the Sky” festival, held at the Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington D.C. on March 29, 2025. Through a high-profile panel discussion titled “Monaco’s Leap to the Stars: Advancing High-Tech Innovations, Astronaut Insights and Lunar Exploration,” the Principality highlighted its growing role in the global space sector.
Hosted by the Embassy, the event drew several hundred attendees and featured a lineup of renowned experts in the field:
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Robert “Bob” Cabana, Chair of the ISS Advisory Committee and former NASA Associate Administrator (moderator)
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Ellen Stofan, Under Secretary for Science and Research at the Smithsonian Institution and former NASA Chief Scientist
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Bill Nelson, former U.S. Senator, astronaut, and NASA Administrator
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Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, Chief Astronaut at Axiom Space
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Jaret Matthews, Founder and CEO of Astrolab, former NASA engineer, and lead designer of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft
As part of the festival experience, visitors outside the Kennedy Center had the chance to view a prototype of the FLEX lunar rover, developed by California-based Astrolab. The rover incorporates advanced technology components engineered by Venturi Monaco, spotlighting Monaco’s contributions to lunar mobility solutions.
To mark the opening of the festival, H.E. Maguy Maccario Doyle, Monaco’s Ambassador to the U.S., welcomed nearly 300 guests to an exclusive reception co-hosted with the Kennedy Center, the Consulate General of Monaco, and Astrolab. In her address, she emphasized Monaco’s emerging role in the space economy, underscoring H.S.H. Prince Albert II’s vision of the Principality as a hub for innovation, global partnerships, and sustainable technological advancement.
The celebrations extended into the following week, as students from Monaco’s FANB institution participated in a special virtual session with NASA education specialist Dorian Janney—a unique opportunity made possible through the festival’s educational outreach efforts.
As Monaco continues to expand its presence in space-related innovation, events like this underscore its commitment to shaping a more connected and sustainable future—both on Earth and beyond.