It was such an honour to present alongside Darcey Watson at the International Astronautical Federation’s very first Symposium on Emerging Space Ecosystems at IAC2024.

The symposium, organised by Alejandro J. ROMAN MOLINAS and Matías Campos Abad and the IAF Administrative Committee on Connecting Emerging Space ecoSystems (IAF-ACCESS) provided a platform to discuss the growing impact of emerging space nations. (Though I’ll admit, I have a soft spot for the Committee’s former ACDCEC name!)

The Committee, which had its foundation set by Valanathan Munsami during the Global Conference on Space for Emerging Countries (GLEC) 2022 in Quito, Ecuador, emphasises the importance of fostering national and regional space ecosystems that are responsive, commercially viable, and integrated into the global space industry.

Darcey and I were thrilled to share our latest work, done in collaboration with the incredible Vedika Latchman-Singh and Madeleine Bandurski, using a maturity rubric to assess a country’s progress in establishing a space ecosystem. Building on our initial presentation in Baku last year, we incorporated new insights from The Maldives, inspired by Madin Maseeh and the Maldives Space Research Organisation (MSRO), to ensure that even nations at the earliest stages of their space journey have a supportive framework that acknowledges their progress and guides their future steps.

A huge thanks to everyone who attended and contributed to the symposium, including a special video message from Val himself! Making it a memorable and impactful event! Looking forward to continuing this vital conversation and building a more inclusive space industry. 🌍