Last week’s International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2024) in Milan reached historic heights and left an impressive legacy.
Co-hosted by the Italian Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIDAA), the Italian Space Agency (ASI), and Leonardo, the record-breaking 75th IAC edition was the largest ever held, attracting over 11,200 delegates from 120 countries. An additional 3,000 people joined the live-streaming sessions.
The IAC 2024 Exhibition featured a record number of more than 530 exhibitors. It was filled with displays, interactive booths, and groundbreaking technologies, including the display of samples from the far side of the moon brought by China’s Chang’e 6 mission, as well as samples from the asteroid Bennu brought back by NASA’s OSIRIX-REx Mission.
A highlight of this year’s IAC was the inaugural IAF Global Space Leaders Summit, which brought together 60 heads of space agencies and offices. This historic assembly, the largest gathering of leaders of well-established space nations and emerging countries, fostered high-level discussions on space cooperation, governance, and sustainability.
As part of the IAF International Astronauts Chapter, the congress also featured an outreach programme with 25 international astronauts who engaged with the public, students, and young professionals.
The IAF General Assembly selected the European Space Foundation (ESF) to host IAC 2027 in Poznań, Poland. The IAF also continues to grow as the global space community expands. It had the pleasure of welcoming 73 new member organisations, bringing the overall membership to 563 from 80 countries.
The ISRO Chandrayaan-3 Team was the recipient of this year’s IAF World Space Award. The successful mission reminds us about the power of Space Exploration to inspire and unite people all over the globe.
The importance of space in addressing global challenges is eminent, and the discussion will continue next year in Sydney at the 76th International Astronautical Congress, organised by IAF and hosted by the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA).
