2 days Ago By Breeanna Jent [email protected]
Space technology leaders from across the world will converge on Colorado Springs this week for the annual Space Symposium, with a focus on building partnerships to secure the future as the global space economy continues its meteoric growth. Hosted by the Space Foundation, the six-day event at The Broadmoor is anticipated to convene more than 10,000 space professionals including top space agency leaders, military, and commercial and national security organizations from 40-plus countries, enough to fill 34 hotels, Space Foundation spokesman Rich Cooper said. Expected attendance this year is on par with pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic levels, even amid federal orders that have recently hampered travel for certain federal employees, Cooper said.
Many of the same companies and similar government officials who attend Space Symposium gather over the winter for Warfare Symposium, hosted by the Air and Space Forces Association. This year at the event in early March, the hallways and meeting rooms of the sprawling Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora were far less crowded with people in formal suits and military fatigues. The huge ballrooms had rows and rows of empty seats, leading to comments among attendees that the event seemed quiet.
President Donald Trump's executive order on Feb. 26 froze all credit cards held by civilian employees for 30 days, likely leading to lower attendance. "The Space Symposium has historically been one of the primary events for connecting with the defense and intelligence community.
It is an important opportunity for us to meet with professionals from around the world about space-based missions and technologies." – Neil Oatley, Kratos spokesperson A Department of Defense order on March 5 suspended all travel for DoD civilians that is not in direct support of military operations or a permanent change of station. The order directed all DoD civilians to cancel all upcoming travel reservations.
During the 39th Space Symposium held in April 2024, former NASA astronaut John “Danny” Olives talks with RTX employees about the Collins Aerospace next-generation space suit. Space Foundation still expects "strong participation" from senior U.S.
government officials who will attend the 40th Space Symposium in person, Cooper said, pointing to event registration data. Officials are continuously working with government partners to assess what adjustments, if any, may be needed for this year's event, he added. "Our intent remains the same: host the premier gathering of the global space community where participants find unparalleled opportunities to connect with international, commercial and governmental space leaders," Cooper said.
In recent memory, Space Symposium has generated about $16 million in total economic impact every year for the Pikes Peak region, Visit Colorado Springs said. That figure accounts for the symposium itself, as well as guests who stay overnight in local hotels, dine, shop and visit other area attractions while in town. This year's Space Symposium will include a record 304 exhibitors spread across 153,000 square feet of exhibition space.
Of those exhibitors, 48 emerging space companies are part of the "Innovate Space: Supplier Showcase," a new addition this year that provides networking opportunities for enterprises bringing new approaches and technology that support commercial, national security, civil and research missions. Eight companies will participate in the second annual pitch contest to highlight their capabilities and what they bring to the space industry. Vast, Firefly Aerospace and Kratos will also have outdoor exhibits that feature their Space Haven-1, Blue Ghost lunar lander and space domain awareness power at the edge, respectively.
Likening Space Symposium to "the EPCOT of space," Cooper said it is a vital opportunity for industry experts to share ideas and drive innovation. "Symposium is giving (participants) an incubator of opportunity of being able to connect with so many people from so many facets of the space community in one place. It is the ultimate one-stop shop for them.
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You can tour the world in one of the exhibit halls or sitting in one of the plenary sessions by nature of the people who come to this program," he said. The event agenda features more than 300 speakers, including U.S.
Space Command Cmdr. Gen. Stephen Whiting, U.
S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. B.
Chance Saltzman and NASA's Acting Administrator Janet Petro. Held at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort nearby, the symposium again will feature extended programs called "tracks" on topics like space law and regulation, space science, advancements in artificial intelligence applications for space exploration and operations, and the surge of technology and emerging countries reshaping the space industry and market. "Space Symposium .
.. enables us to showcase our capabilities, including our launch vehicles, lunar landers and orbital vehicles that deliver responsive, reliable and affordable space access across cislunar space.
The symposium also allows us to strengthen partnerships and explore new collaborations as we continue to see growing demand for responsive space services." –Risa Schnautz, Firefly Aerospace, Inc. spokesperson After the opening ceremony on Monday evening, students grades 9-12 with the drone performance team at the Innovation Center of St.
Vrain Valley Schools in Longmont will host a drone show over The Broadmoor Lake beginning at 9 p.m., another new addition to Space Symposium.
Student project managers, design animators, drone pilots and a music crew will debut the show they have choreographed and prepared over the last year that features space-themed animations and a complementary soundtrack. The students agreed to participate after Space Foundation asked them specifically to create the performance for this year's event, team coordinator Danny Hernandez said. The Innovation Center offers St.
Vrain Valley Schools students additional opportunities to take advanced coursework, summer camps, projects and more. "We're about to take seven students to fly a drone show at Space Symposium, where people are coming from (dozens of) different countries. That in itself is an incredible accomplishment within our program and our team," he said, noting that the drone performance team is the first of its kind in the St.
Vrain Valley School District. "That's a huge testament to the students, because the work they have done has gained them this recognition." The team's student project managers Abi Reichert and Reese Weider said the drone performance will showcase the talents of young people and open them up to a new world of opportunity in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
"There's no such thing as too young," Reichert said. "It's hard as a high school student to feel like you're old enough to do something as complex as a drone show. That's something that's really hard to grasp for high school students, that they can accomplish anything if they find the right outlet for it.
" Weider added, "As technology continues to shape our world, it's vital for young people to understand that they can contribute to a positive change in any field. I want them to see other students involved in STEM and know that they belong in these spaces, too." Gazette's Mary Shinn contributed to this report.
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