Another record-breaking congress

This year’s IAC, the largest annual space event, took place in northern Italy, in the city of Milan. Italy’s fashion capital welcomed the conference participants from 14^th to 18^th October.

Once again, it was a record-breaking edition: over 11,000 people registered to attend, more than 500 exhibitors showcased their products and services, and a record number of abstracts were submitted. And Cosmic Lingua’s Amelie Aichinger was, of course, among the attendants.

A packed programme

Technical sessions and plenaries

The IAC would not be such a renowned congress if not for the large number of fascinating lectures on technical topics, plenary events, and Special Sessions (such as workshops).

The technical sessions I chose this time very much focused on the potential future of human spaceflight, particularly in light of the developing space tourism industry. Among other things, I attended presentations on habitats and spatial design in space.

As a language expert, I was also keen to explore ethical aspects, as many of them have a direct connection to our use of language. A particular highlight for me was the new specialist committee on “Decolonialist Practices,” which aimed to raise awareness about the exclusion of minorities, especially from the Global South, and the colonial legacy that can still be found in the language and behaviour of the Western world. One of the talks, for example, discussed the naming of the European ISS module after Christopher Columbus and its negative connotations for natives of the American continents.

I also couldn’t miss topics such as secure communications, public relations, and multilingual astronautical terminology.

This year’s plenary programme also offered a lot to explore, including discussions on space sustainability, big data, autonomy, and, of course, AI in space.

For the first time, I also participated in one of the Special Sessions: an interactive workshop all about the importance of storytelling in public relations and outreach and how to capture people’s attention through tales.

Networking

Fortunately, this packed technical programme also left ample time for networking. I enjoyed numerous interesting conversations, whether with other attendees queueing at exhibitor booths, neighbours during talks, some of the speakers themselves, or exhibitor staff.

Breaking news

But what would the year’s biggest space event be without breaking news? One of the most exciting announcements was certainly Axiom’s press conference: the company had won a NASA contract to design a new spacesuit for lunar missions, which it showcased for the first time at IAC. The surprise: Axiom had teamed up with Italian fashion house PRADA, which contributed its expertise in textiles and craftsmanship. There could not have been a better setting for this reveal than the fashion capital, Milan!

An event to remember

I would like to thank the organisers for a mostly smooth experience and excellent set-up of the congress. Once again, the IAC inspired, connected, and educated, creating a true sense of excitement and positivity for the future.

With many new contacts in hand, I headed back to Germany the day after the congress. I am already looking forward to my next visit!