International Astronautical Congress

Summary

The International Astronautical Congress (IAC) is an annual meeting of the actors in the discipline of space science. It is hosted by one of the national society members of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), with the support of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and the International Institute of Space Law (IISL). It consists of plenary sessions, lectures and meetings. The IAC is attended by the agency heads and senior executives of the world's space agencies.

61st International Astronautical Congress in Prague, Czech Republic (2010)
International Astronautical Congress
Opening ceremony of the 70th International Astronautical Congress in Washington, D.C. in 2019
StatusActive
GenreConference
FrequencyAnnually
Years active73–74
Websitewww.iafastro.org/events/iac/

As the Second World War came to an end, the United States and the Soviet Union held different and competing political worldviews. As the Cold War began to take shape, communication between the two countries became less frequent. Both countries turned their focus to achieving military superiority over the other.

Six years after the Iron Curtain fell, the IAF was formed by scientists from all over Europe in the field of space research in order to collaborate once more. During the years of the Space Race, the IAF was one of the few forums where members of both East and West Europe could meet during the annual IAC.[1]

Founding Organizations edit

  • Argentina: Sociedad Argentina Interplanetaria (Argentianian Interplanetary Society)
  • Austria: Österreichische Gesellschaft für Weltraumforschung (Austrian Society for Space Research)
  • France: Groupement Astronautique Français (French Astronautic Group)
  • Germany: Gesellschaft für Weltraumforschung Stuttgart (Society for Space Research Stuttgart), Gesellschaft für Weltraumforschung Hamburg (Society for Space Research Hamburg)
  • Italy: Associazione Italiana Razzi (Italian Rocket Association)
  • Spain: Asociación Española de Astronáutica (Spanish Astronautical Association)
  • Sweden: Svenska Interplanetariska Sällskapet (Swedish Interplanetary Society)
  • Switzerland: Schweizerische Astronautische Arbeitsgemeinschaft (Swiss Astronautical Association)
  • United Kingdom: British Interplanetary Society
  • United States: American Rocket Society, Detroit Rocket Society, Pacific Rocket Society, Reaction Research Society[1]

International Astronautical Federation Governance edit

The International Astronautical Federation is a non-profit non-governmental organization created in 1951. Under French law, the IAF is defined as a federation of member organizations where a General Assembly is responsible for making decisions.

IAF General Assembly edit

The IAF General Assembly is in charge of governing the Federation. Composed of delegates from every member organization, the assembly is responsible for voting to approve all major decisions regarding the Federation's rules and regulations as well as the acceptance of new member organizations. The General Assembly meets during the International Astronautical Congress.[2]

IAF Bureau edit

The IAF Bureau sets the agenda of the IAF General Assembly, including: review of new member candidates; supervision of IAF activities; and supervision of IAF accounts. It is made up of:

  • The IAF President
  • The Incoming IAF President
  • The IAF Honorary Ambassador
  • 12 IAF Vice-Presidents
  • The IAF Executive Director
  • The IAF General Counsel
  • The IAF Incoming General Counsel
  • The IAF Honorary Secretary
  • The President of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA)
  • The President of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL)
  • Special Advisor to the President

IAF Secretariat edit

This branch is in charge of running the administration of the Federation.

Locations of past and future International Astronautical Congresses (IAC) edit

International Astronautical Congresses are held in the late summer or fall months. In 2002 and 2012, the World Space Congress combined the IAC and COSPAR Scientific Assembly. The 2020 IAC was held virtually due to the global COVID pandemic.

Edition Date Venue
1st September 30 – October 2, 1950   Paris, France
2nd September 3–8, 1951   London, United Kingdom
3rd September 1–5, 1952   Stuttgart, West Germany
4th August 3–8, 1953   Zurich, Switzerland
5th August 2–7, 1954   Innsbruck, Austria
6th August 2–6, 1955   Copenhagen, Denmark
7th September 17–22, 1956   Rome, Italy
8th October 6–12, 1957   Barcelona, Spain
9th August 25–30, 1958   Amsterdam, Netherlands
10th August 31 – September 5, 1959   London, United Kingdom.
11th August 13–20, 1960   Stockholm, Sweden
12th October 1–7, 1961   Washington, D.C., USA
13th September 19–23, 1962   Varna, Bulgaria
14th September 25 – October 1, 1963   Paris, France
15th September 7–12, 1964   Warsaw, Poland
16th September 13–18, 1965   Athens, Greece
17th October 9–15, 1966   Madrid, Spain
18th September 24–30, 1967   Belgrade, Yugoslavia
19th October 13–18, 1968   New York, USA
20th October 5–10, 1969   Mar del Plata, Argentina
21st October 4–9, 1970   Konstanz, West Germany
22nd September 20–25, 1971   Brussels, Belgium
23rd October 8–15, 1972   Vienna, Austria
24th October 7–13, 1973   Baku, USSR
25th September 30 – October 5, 1974   Amsterdam, Netherlands
26th September 21–27, 1975   Lisbon, Portugal
27th October 10–16, 1976   Anaheim, California, USA
28th September 25 – October 1, 1977   Prague, Czechoslovakia
29th October 1–8, 1978   Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia
30th September 17–22, 1979   Munich, West Germany
31st September 21–28, 1980[3]   Tokyo, Japan
32nd September 6–12, 1981   Rome, Italy
33rd September 27 – October 2, 1982   Paris, France
34th October 10–15, 1983   Budapest, Hungary
35th October 8–13, 1984   Lausanne, Switzerland
36th October 7–12, 1985   Stockholm, Sweden
37th October 4–11, 1986   Innsbruck, Austria
38th October 10–17, 1987   Brighton, United Kingdom
39th October 8–15, 1988   Bangalore, India
40th October 7–13, 1989   Malaga, Spain
41st October 6–12, 1990   Dresden, Germany
42nd October 5–11, 1991   Montreal, Canada
43rd August 28 – September 5, 1992   Washington, D.C., USA
44th October 16–22, 1993   Graz, Austria
45th October 9–14, 1994   Jerusalem, Israel
46th October 2–6, 1995   Oslo, Norway
47th October 7–11, 1996   Beijing, China
48th October 6–10, 1997   Torino, Italy
49th September 28 – October 2, 1998   Melbourne, Australia
50th October 4–8, 1999   Amsterdam, the Netherlands
51st October 2–6, 2000   Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
52nd October 1–5, 2001   Toulouse, France
53rd October 10–19, 2002   Houston, USA
54th September 29 – October 3, 2003   Bremen, Germany
55th October 4–8, 2004   Vancouver, Canada
56th October 16–21, 2005   Fukuoka, Japan
57th October 2–6, 2006   Valencia, Spain
58th September 24–28, 2007   Hyderabad, India
59th September 29 – October 3, 2008   Glasgow, United Kingdom
60th October 12–16, 2009   Daejeon, South Korea
61st September 27 – October 1, 2010   Prague, Czech Republic
62nd October 3–7, 2011   Cape Town, South Africa
63rd October 1–5, 2012   Naples, Italy
64th September 23–27, 2013   Beijing, China
65th September 29 – October 3, 2014   Toronto, Canada
66th October 12–16, 2015   Jerusalem, Israel
67th September 26–30, 2016[4]   Guadalajara, Mexico
68th September 25–29, 2017[5]   Adelaide, Australia
69th October 1–5, 2018   Bremen, Germany
70th October 21–25, 2019   Washington, D.C., USA
71st October 12–16, 2020 N/A (Virtually livestreamed due to COVID-19) [6]
72nd October 25–29, 2021   Dubai, UAE [7]
73rd September 18–22, 2022   Paris, France [8]
74th October 2–6, 2023   Baku, Azerbaijan [9]
75th October 14–18, 2024   Milan, Italy [10]
76th September 29 – October 3, 2025   Sydney, Australia
77th October, 2026   Antalya, Turkey

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b "History | IAF". www.iafastro.org. Archived from the original on September 18, 2019. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  2. ^ "Governance | IAF". www.iafastro.org. Archived from the original on April 26, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2017.
  3. ^ L. G. Napolitano (October 22, 2013). Applications of Space Developments: Selected Papers from the XXXI International Astronautical Congress, Tokyo, 21 — 28 September 1980. Elsevier Science. ISBN 978-1-4831-5976-8.
  4. ^ IAC – International Astronautical Congress | September 26th – 30th 2016 Guadalajara, Mexico, accessed January 28, 2016.
  5. ^ "International Astronautical Congress in 2017". Archived from the original on October 1, 2016. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
  6. ^ "IAF : International Astronautical Congress 2020". www.iafastro.org. International Astronautical Federation. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  7. ^ "IAF : International Astronautical Congress 2021". www.iafastro.org. International Astronautical Federation. Archived from the original on July 16, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  8. ^ "IAF : International Astronautical Congress 2022". www.iafastro.org. International Astronautical Federation. Archived from the original on March 19, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  9. ^ "IAF : International Astronautical Congress 2023". www.iafastro.org. International Astronautical Federation. Archived from the original on March 6, 2021. Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  10. ^ "IAF : International Astronautical Congress 2024". www.iafastro.org. International Astronautical Federation. Retrieved November 15, 2023.

External links edit

  • IAF
  • IAC 2012
  • IAC 2013
  • IAC 2013
  • IAC 2014
  • IAC 2015
  • IAC 2017