"In search of a Luxonaut", the first comic strip from the Luxembourg Space Agency

The mission of the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA), under the supervision of the Ministry of the Economy, is to support and boost the country's space ecosystem.

Aware that talent is a strategic lever for the future of the sector, the LSA pays particular attention to training and raising awareness among the younger generation. Against a backdrop of fierce international competition for a limited pool of talent, it is essential to foster vocations from an early age.

With this in mind, the LSA is stepping up its awareness-raising initiatives, such as the national "Astronaut for a Day" competition. It uses space and its fascination with it as a means of raising awareness among children and students of the space sector and the many careers associated with it.

Continuing this commitment to education, it has just published its first educational comic book entitled "In search of a Luxonaut", which invites readers to explore the challenges of space exploitation.

It was presented on Wednesday 16 July as part of the Space afternoon organised on the Luxembourg pavilion at the World Expo 2025 in Osaka, Japan, in the presence of HRH the Crown Prince and Stéphanie Obertin, Minister for Digitalisation, Minister for Research and Higher Education. The comic book has been specially translated into Japanese for the occasion, celebrating the exemplary collaboration between the two countries in the space sector.

The comic book is the result of a collaboration between scriptwriter Lucien Czuga, author of "Superjhemp" among other works, and illustrator and artist Dan Altmann, who brought the book's heroes brilliantly to life.

In the tradition of Lucien Czuga's work, this comic book gives plenty of scope for humour and is packed with Luxembourgish cultural references. It features Renya, a young fox and great-great-great-granddaughter of the famous Renert, who in 2048 takes part in a competition organised by a Luxembourg space company called "In Search of a Luxonaut'" to find the first Luxembourg astronaut to go to Mars. Based on the real-life experiences of astronauts during their training, the tests and trials experienced by the young heroine and her friend Dixx will take them through many adventures and twists. At the end of the breathless suspense, the reader will finally know who will be the 1st Luxonaut to set foot on Mars.

The Minister of the Economy, SME, Energy and Tourism, Lex Delles, commented: "Space is much more than a cutting-edge technological field: it is a formidable source of inspiration for the younger generations. With this first comic book, the Luxembourg Space Agency has succeeded in making a strategic sector for our future accessible and captivating. By sparking curiosity, we are already preparing the talents that will make Luxembourg the space country of tomorrow.

In Luxembourg, the comic book will be presented by Lex Delles at the International Comic Book Festival in Contern, this Saturday 19 July at 3pm. Lucien Czuga and Dan Altmann will be signing the book on 19 and 20 July at the same festival.

It will then go on sale at bookshops and newsagents nationwide from 21 July at a price of 19 euros.

Press release by  the Ministry of Economy / Luxembourg Space Agency