The 77th International Astronautical Congress concluded at a landmark venue, marking the first time the IAC was hosted in Türkiye. The event brought together approximately 7,000 delegates from 111 countries. While the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) typically cites attendance of over 6,000 delegates annually, Antalya’s turnout sits just behind recent high-water marks in Milan and Paris.
Key Turnout Metrics
- 8,325 Paper Submissions: Received from 108 countries, setting an all-time record for the congress.
- Over 3,020 Early-Bird Registrations: Surpassing all previous IAC events.
- IAF Network: The hosting organization now unites 604 members across 82 countries, spanning national space agencies, commercial space enterprises, research institutes, and universities.
Global Participation and Industry Representation
Major space agencies in attendance included NASA, ESA, JAXA, CNES, Italy’s ASI, Canada’s CSA, the UK Space Agency, South Korea’s KASA, Poland’s POLSA, the UAE Space Agency, and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).
The exhibition space saw extensive industry participation. The German pavilion alone hosted 22 companies, alongside major dedicated booths from industry leaders including Airbus, Thales Alenia Space, Leonardo, ArianeGroup, ASTROSCALE, ispace, Open Cosmos, CAS Space, Galactic Energy, and Chang Guang Satellite. Future IAC host cities were also represented on the exhibition floor, including Poznań (IAC 2027), Samarkand (IAC 2028), and Barcelona (IAC 2029).
Key Developments and Strategic Announcements
- Antalya Declaration: Representatives from 21 nations adopted a Turkish initiative focused on peaceful space exploration, orbital responsibility, and international collaboration at a dedicated ministerial meeting. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan opened the ceremony by speaking out against the militarization of space.
- Artemis Accords Principals Meeting: Following Türkiye’s signing of the Artemis Accords as the 71st member state in August, Antalya hosted the annual Artemis Accords Principals Meeting.
- HÜRSAT-2 Satellite Contract: TUSAŞ and Roketsan finalized an agreement to develop the HÜRSAT-2 remote sensing satellite, which is slated for launch aboard Türkiye’s indigenous ŞİMŞEK-1 rocket.
- National Lunar Mission Progress: Türkiye announced that its 3.5-ton lunar probe is fully assembled featuring over 80 percent domestically manufactured components and is being prepared for a planned launch in early 2027.
- Spaceport Construction in Somalia: President Erdoğan confirmed that construction is progressing on a spaceport facility in Somalia, framing the project as a foundational contribution to Africa’s emerging space ecosystem.
The event motto, “The World Needs More Space,” reflected the expanding global participation in Antalya. With strong representation across Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Central Asia, the global space sector continues to shift beyond traditional spacefaring nations. Hosting the international space community just eight years after establishing its national space agency, Türkiye highlighted this evolving global landscape.
