This is a Special Webnews, straight from the orbital heights of the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan! What a week it was! Between countless meetings, networking with global leaders, and showing off our Moon Shot 2030 strategic vision, ISU truly made its mark on this year’s IAC.
And we weren’t alone—this year’s IAC set a new record with 11,000 space people (yes, that’s the technical term!) in attendance. It was truly the largest gathering of space professionals on Earth. From public and private sector titans to international organizations and partners, ISU was represented at every corner of the galaxy (or at least Milan). If meetings were a sport, we’d be gold medalists.
We powered through over 50 meetings—that’s one for every satellite in low-Earth orbit—and managed to sign one partnership agreement, take the stage in large forums, and rack up some excellent media attention. ISU’s presence was so strong that we practically left a permanent ISU footprint on Italian soil.
In a milestone achievement, ISU also rolled past 40,000 followers on LinkedIn during the IAC week! Our network continues to expand at light speed, further amplifying our voice and reach in the global space community.
But wait, there’s more! We also may have recruited a new wave of students to join our master’s programs, SSP, SHSSP, and ESCs. These future space pioneers were clearly impressed with our mission—and likely with our ability to survive back-to-back meetings without needing space suits to breathe!
The true highlight of the week, though, was the ISU Alumni Event, which gathered over 300 alumni, making it the largest gathering of ISU alumni in our history! This event was nothing short of spectacular. During this special reunion, we had the opportunity to share insights on ISU’s Moon Shot 2030 strategic planning process and discuss the importance of expanding our outreach. The energy in the room was palpable as our alumni—ready to offer their time, talent, and treasure—showed how passionate they are about supporting ISU.
Hearing firsthand how ISU has impacted lives around the world was a powerful reminder of just how unique our global network is. There’s no doubt: ISU is one special place, and as we propel into the future, we’re on a trajectory that’s truly out of this world.
As we look to the stars, I want to thank all of you for your incredible effort in making IAC 2024 such a major success. Your dedication, resilience, and teamwork shone through at every step. Let’s keep this momentum going as we prepare for IAC 2025 in Sydney—where, no doubt, we’ll be even bigger, better, and (maybe) with a few new adventures under our belt!
