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From International Astronautical FederationINTERNATIONAL ASTRONAUTICAL CONGRESS  Every year since 1951, the Federation (IAF) together with its associates, the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and the International Institute of Space Law (IISL), has organised the International Astronautical Congress (IAC). The Congress constitutes the most well-known IAF activity and it is hosted by one of the national institutions, a member of the IAF. It lasts one week. The IAC is a major annual milestone where people can meet, exchange, learn, promote and summarise activity over the year, celebrate success and share lessons and experience. The profile of the IAC is changing and evolving. The plenary events are more and more successful and attract newcomers to our Congress, including captains of industry and top-level scientists. The annual Congress encourages the advancement of knowledge about space. It is held in connection with a major space exhibition. Its intention is to enable representatives from the space industry, space users, space policy makers, students, young professionals, researchers and academicians to meet and exchange experiences and knowledge, and to develop worldwide cooperation programmes. Today the IAC is recognised as the premier international conference on space activities. Each IAC features a series of plenary events and highlight lectures during which prominent space leaders and experts from around the world discuss topics of current interest. In addition more than 1,600 technical papers on space programmes and research activities around the world are presented in approximately 120 lecture and 50 interactive sessions. A DVD containing copies of these papers is provided to all Congress participants. The IAF maintains an on-line archive of past Congress papers and presentations to provide members with a historical record of global space activities. List of IACs
 Congress is open to everybody and are an excellent opportunity for organisations and individuals to meet and share knowledge about the latest developments and achievements in the astronautical field. Congress attendees can gain information about current space projects, programmes and related technologies, while also networking and promoting their own activities, achievements and products. The Federation holds its Bureau Meetings and General Assemblies at the Congress, which is an excellent occasion for the IAF Committees to meet. It is preceded by the UN/IAF Workshop which brings together space experts with policy and decision-makers from developing countries. This workshop aims at showing that space activities are a cost-effective tool for developing countries. A Spring meeting is organised in Paris every year to gather all symposium Coordinators and Session Chairs for the selection of the papers and build-up of the symposia and its various sessions. Further informationThe Gala Dinner of the Congress is also the occasion for giving awards and medals such as the Allan D. Emil Memorial Award, the Luigi G. Napolitano Award, the Frank J. Malina Astronautics Medal, and various Student Awards. The Federation holds IAF Bureau and IAF General Assembly meetings at the Congress. Reduced registration fees are granted to persons who belong to the IAF member organisations or who are member of the IAA or the IISL. The IAF is the focal point of the Local Organisation Committee as the host of the annual Congress for all technical, administrative and logistical matters. The IAF liaises with the International Programme Committee (IPC) which defines the Technical Programme under the lead of the two IPC Co-Chairs.
"A space-faring world cooperating for the benefit of humanity" International Astronautical Federation |
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