Catalog

Technical programme

IAC-26 — 77th International Astronautical Congress

E3. 39th IAA SYMPOSIUM ON SPACE POLICY, REGULATIONS AND ECONOMICS

This Symposium, organized by the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), will provide overview of the current trends in space policy, regulations and economics, by covering national as well as multilateral space policies and plans. The symposium also integrates the IAA/IISL Scientific-Legal Roundtable.

Coordinator

Jacques Masson
European Space Agency (ESA) — The Netherlands

Pieter Van Beekhuizen
Stichting Space Professionals Foundation (SSPF) — The Netherlands

E3.1. International cooperation in using space for sustainable development: The “Space2030” agenda and beyond

With the growing societal impacts of space technology and its applications, the international community has shifted its attention to their contributions to the global sustainability and development agendas, in particular, the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context, the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UNCOPUOS) developed the “Space2030” agenda and its implementation plan, which were adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2021. This session provides an opportunity to discuss how international cooperation in space activities can effectively contribute to sustainable development, in particular, Space 2030 agenda and the SDGs. It also addresses how far we have already come in using space technology and its applications in support of the sustainable development, where we are still facing challenges and gaps, and what additional actions could be taken towards a sustainable future.

Co-Chair

Ikuko Kuriyama
Institute for Future Initiatives (IFI), The University of Tokyo — Japan

Werner R. Balogh
European Space Agency (ESA) — France

E3.2. The future of space exploration and innovation

Space exploration missions and plans have been emerging around the world, targeting different destinations from LEO, to the Moon and Mars, and with an increasing participation of new public and private actors. The session will focus on the current plans of future exploration missions of various space exploration stakeholders and will provide a forum to reflect on the trends and present the latest developments in the field.

Co-Chair

Marc Haese
DLR, German Aerospace Center — Germany

Nicolas Peter
European Space Agency (ESA) — France

Rapporteur: Claudiu Mihai Taiatu
International Space University (ISU) — France

E3.3. Economic Resilience and the Space Economic/Industrial Sector

Objective: The Space Economy Committee invites researchers, industry professionals, policymakers, and scholars to submit paper abstracts that align with the economic dimensions of building economic resilience within the space sector, focusing on how the sector can adapt and thrive in the face of global economic uncertainties and disruptions. This session seeks to foster a deeper understanding of the strategies and mechanisms that ensure the continuity and growth of space activities, even under challenging conditions. Context: Resilience refers to the ability of the space economy and its associated activities, industries, and institutions to withstand, adapt to, and recover from disruptions, challenges, or shocks from unforeseen events. Submissions should address the following areas: - Definitions, measurement issues, and models/methods for analyzing the resilience of the space economy. - Data-driven approaches to understanding and enhancing the resilience of the space economy. - Case studies on how space missions or programs have adapted to or mitigated economic disruptions - Emerging markets and opportunities that enhance the resilience of the space economy. - Impact of new technologies (e.g., quantum computing, AI) on the resilience of the space economy. - Forecasting future economic trends in the space sector and their potential impacts on global economic resilience. Submission Guidelines: • Abstracts should be concise, clearly outlining the research question, methodology, key findings, and relevance to the theme "Economic Resilience of the Space Sector." • The submission should highlight the novelty and contribution of the work to the existing body of knowledge on economic resilience in the space economy. • Collaborations with organizations outside the traditional space community are encouraged to bring diverse perspectives and innovative approaches.

Co-Chair

Pieter Van Beekhuizen
Stichting Space Professionals Foundation (SSPF) — The Netherlands

Henry Hertzfeld
Space Policy Institute, George Washington University — United States

Rapporteur

Luigi Scatteia
PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory (PwC) — France

Bhavya Lal
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) — United States

E3.4. Assuring a Safe, Secure and Sustainable Environment for Space Activities

The space environment today involves a growing number of states, government consortia, and private sector entities with different strategic objectives and levels of economic and technological development. It is the responsibility of these actors to promote a secure, stable, and resilient environment in order to ensure uninterrupted access to space and security of space operations in Earth’s orbits and beyond, especially as space systems now support day-to-day civilian and commercial life in many countries, enabling socioeconomic prosperity. A number of established spacefaring nations have developed national policies and strategies to address these concerns. At a multilateral level, a body of principles and rules governing space activities was established during the second half of the twentieth century. However, the rapid pace of the development, testing, and fielding of various launch technologies, as well as on-orbit systems for terrestrial support and exploration of the cis-lunar orbit and beyond, brings unprecedented challenges to all space operators. It is the purpose of this session to seek to address them.

Co-Chair

Peter Stubbe
German Aerospace Center (DLR) — Germany

Jana Robinson
The Prague Security Studies Institute — Czech Republic

Rapporteur: Gina Petrovici
German Space Agency — Germany

E3.5-E7.6. 40th IAA/IISL Scientific Legal Roundtable: The Growing Roster of Space Countries

Invited papers only. Since 1957, the legal and scientific framework for outer space has evolved through three distinct stages. The first stage, dominated by government programs from the Soviet Union and the United States, expanded in the 1970s to include agencies from Europe, Japan, India, and China. The second stage began in the 1980s with the entry of commercial entities, supported by major space powers.We are now in the third stage, characterized by the emergence of new governmental and commercial space programs from over 120 countries, such as India and the UAE's Mars missions and the 2025 establishment of the African Space Agency, collaborating closely with commercial partners, much like their predecessors. This increasing diversity and congestion in space have forced governance to adapt. Early space activities were largely governmental and well-suited to the formal treaties of the 1960s and 70s. However, the current mix of nations, missions, and technologies has challenged these "hard" treaty laws. As a result, there's a shift toward more flexible, non-binding guidelines, like the UNCOPUOS Long-Term Sustainability Guidelines and the Artemis Accords. This evolution in the space community also raises new scientific and ethical questions about exploration methods and the search for extraterrestrial life. The 40th Scientific/Legal Roundtable will address these challenges.

Co-Chair

Rene Laufer
Luleå University of Technology — Sweden

Rainer Sandau
International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) — Germany

Rapporteur

Nicola Rohner-Willsch
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR) — Germany

Ivan Fino
Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies — Italy

E3.6. Industrialization as a Catalyst for Competitiveness

As the space sector evolves, industrialization emerges as a key enabler of global competitiveness. This session will examine how scalable, standardized, and cost-efficient production methods are transforming the industry by reducing unit costs, accelerating delivery timelines, and enhancing reliability. This session intends to analyse the ways in which industrialization not only drives down costs but also strengthens the resilience and global positioning of space enterprises to meet growing market demands. Additionally, it is expected that the panel discussion and presented papers will highlight the roles and initiatives undertaken or to be undertaken by Space Agencies and Industry in advancing industrialization within the sector.

Co-Chair

Christine Klein
European Space Agency (ESA) — France

Henry Hertzfeld
Space Policy Institute, George Washington University — United States

Rapporteur: Karina Miranda Sanchez
ESA — The Netherlands

E3.IP. Interactive Presentations - 39th IAA SYMPOSIUM ON SPACE POLICY, REGULATIONS AND ECONOMICS

Authors with an abstract accepted for an interactive presentation will be asked to prepare slides and display them for the duration of the congress on plasma screens. Authors will be assigned to interactive sessions in which they must be near plasma screens to engage in interactive discussions with other congress attendees.

Co-Chair

Jacques Masson
European Space Agency (ESA) — The Netherlands

Franziska Knur
German Aerospace Center (DLR) — Germany