--- eventsindex_id: EI-07095 slug: international-astronautical-congress title: International Astronautical Congress title_alt: - IAC 2026 - IAC Antalya canonical_url: https://eventsindex.org/events/international-astronautical-congress.html next_edition_dates: 2026-10-05 to 2026-10-09 next_edition_year: 2026 date_start: '2026-10-05' date_end: '2026-10-09' venue: NEST Convention Centre city: Antalya country: Turkey organiser: International Astronautical Federation with the Turkish Space Agency organiser_url: https://www.iac2026.org/ b2b: true vector: sector: - space-tech audience: - researcher - government - industry - student format: - conference - exhibition purpose: - content - networking - education geography_scope: - global season: autumn meta_description: 'IAC 2026, 5-9 October at the NEST Convention Centre in Antalya: the 77th International Astronautical Congress, over 6,000 participants, hosted by Turkey.' editorial_take: The space sector's academic and institutional world congress, where agency heads, researchers and students share a plenary hall for one week a year. generated_by: cowork-vertical-build last_verified: '2026-07-29' schema_version: v8.0 language: en --- # International Astronautical Congress > *The annual world congress of the International Astronautical Federation, five days of technical papers, agency plenaries and an exhibition, held in a different country each year.* --- ## Quick Facts | DATES | VENUE | ORGANISERS | SCALE | |---|---|---|---| | 5–9 October 2026 | NEST Convention Centre, Antalya | International Astronautical Federation, Turkish Space Agency, SAHA Istanbul | 6,000+ participants in a typical year | ## Definition The International Astronautical Congress is the annual world congress of the International Astronautical Federation, the global professional body for astronautics founded in 1951. The 77th edition runs from 5 to 9 October 2026 at the NEST Convention Centre in Antalya, hosted by the Turkish Space Agency and co-hosted by the SAHA Istanbul aerospace cluster: the first time the congress has been held in Turkey. The congress typically draws more than 6,000 participants and combines a large peer-reviewed technical programme with agency plenaries, an exhibition and a substantial student and young professional programme. ## What the IAC is for The IAC is the space sector's institutional and academic assembly. It is where national space agencies present programme updates on a shared stage, where technical papers across propulsion, materials, mission design, life sciences, law and policy are delivered in parallel symposia, and where international cooperation agreements are announced. The heads of the major agencies appear together in a plenary that has become the sector's annual set piece. Commercial exhibition exists but is secondary to the technical and diplomatic function. ## Who attends - Space agency leadership and programme managers - Academic researchers and doctoral students across astronautics disciplines - Industry engineers and technical staff from primes and suppliers - Space law, policy and international relations specialists - National delegations and diplomatic representatives - Students, through a dedicated programme and competition track ## How the programme is structured The technical programme runs as a set of parallel symposia organised by discipline, with papers selected through abstract submission and review. Around it sit the plenary programme, agency briefings, an exhibition of agencies, companies and national pavilions, and the young professional and student activities. The congress moves country each year, which shifts the regional composition of the audience and gives the host state a platform for its own space programme. ## Why Antalya matters Hosting the IAC is a statement of ambition. Turkey established its space agency in 2018 and has been building national capability since; bringing the world congress to Antalya puts Turkish industry and the SAHA Istanbul cluster in front of the entire sector for a week. Attendees should expect a strong Turkish and regional presence in the exhibition and the national programme alongside the usual international content. ## FAQ · Identity and audience ### Is the IAC a commercial or an academic event? Primarily academic and institutional. Papers are submitted and reviewed, agencies dominate the plenaries, and the exhibition supports rather than drives the congress. Commercial deal-making happens at World Space Business Week instead. ### Does the location change each year? Yes. The IAF selects a host country and organisation for each edition, which is why the audience mix moves with it. ### Can students attend? Yes, and the congress runs a dedicated student and young professional programme with reduced rates, competitions and mentoring alongside the main sessions. ## The organiser: the International Astronautical Federation The IAF is the global federation of space agencies, companies, societies and research institutions, founded in 1951, and it has organised the congress annually since. It works with a national host organisation for each edition, in 2026 the Turkish Space Agency with SAHA Istanbul. --- ## Editorial take *The space sector's academic and institutional world congress, where agency heads, researchers and students share a plenary hall for one week a year.* ## How to register and what it costs Registration is handled on the official congress website with tiered rates for IAF member organisations, non-members, students and young professionals, plus early-bird pricing that closes several months ahead. Presenting authors must register by a stated deadline for their paper to remain in the programme. Exhibition and national pavilion space is quoted by the host organiser. ## FAQ · Access and practicalities ### When and where does the 2026 congress take place? 5 to 9 October 2026 at the NEST Convention Centre in Antalya, Turkey. ### How many people attend? The congress attracts more than 6,000 participants in a typical year, across technical, institutional and student categories. ### How are papers selected? Through an abstract submission and peer review process run by the IAF technical committees for each symposium, with deadlines roughly a year ahead of the congress. ## Resources | Resource | URL | |---|---| | Congress website | https://www.iac2026.org/ | | International Astronautical Federation | https://www.iafastro.org/ | --- **Last verified:** 2026-07-29 **Next review:** 2026-09-15 **Notes:** The participation figure is the federation's typical annual attendance rather than a confirmed 2026 registration count. Registration tiers and deadlines are published on the congress site. **Variables:** 39/58 **Concept definition:** not applicable