The 46th COSPAR Scientific Assembly and Associated Events (COSPAR 2026) has concluded in Florence, Italy, bringing together more than 3,000 participants from around the world to exchange the latest results in space research and strengthen international scientific collaboration. Approximately one third of participants were students or early-career researchers, demonstrating the broad participation of the next generation of space scientists from around the world.
Hosted by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), the Assembly provided a forum for scientific exchange across the full spectrum of space research, from planetary exploration, astrophysics and Earth observation to life sciences, space weather, materials sciences, and interdisciplinary topics linking science, technology and society.
The Assembly opened with a Space Agency Leaders Roundtable , moderated by Gabriella Arrigo, President of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), and COSPAR President Pascale Ehrenfreund. Participants included Mohsen Al Awadhi (UAE Space Agency), Anil Bhardwaj (representing ISRO-India), Mario Cosmo (Italian Space Agency, ASI), Nicola J. Fox (NASA), Masaki Fujimoto (JAXA/ISAS-Japan), Christian Lange (Canadian Space Agency), Carole Mundell (European Space Agency), Jang-Hyun Park (representing the Korea AeroSpace Administration), and Chi Wang (National Space Science Center, China). The discussion addressed international cooperation, scientific priorities, and the future of space exploration.
Participants were welcomed during the Opening Ceremony with addresses from COSPAR President Pascale Ehrenfreund, Local Organising Committee Chair Pietro Ubertini, INAF President Roberto Ragazzoni, and Scientific Programme Committee Chair Marco Tavani. Institutional greetings were delivered by Alessandra Petrucci, Rector of the University of Florence; Carlotta Ferrari, Director of Destination Florence; and Anna Maria Bernini, Italy's Minister of University and Research. Further remarks were given by Mario Cosmo (ASI), Nicola J. Fox (NASA), Carole Mundell (ESA), who paid tribute to Roger Bonnet, former Director of Science at ESA, and Christopher Geiger (VP Lockheed Martin). Recipients of the 2026 COSPAR Awards were also celebrated.
The Panel on Humanity’s Cross-Disciplinary Exploration, moderated by Mae Jemison
Throughout the week, delegates participated in a wide range of scientific lectures, plenary discussions and special events. Interdisciplinary lectures explored subjects including the evolving space economy, advances in radar remote sensing, new results from the Gaia mission, sustainable life-support systems for future exploration, the James Webb Space Telescope, and the search for water on the Moon. A plenary panel on Humanity’s Cross-Disciplinary Exploration, moderated by former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison, captured the outstanding needs and challenges of future cross disciplinary future space endeavours.
The Dark and Quiet Skies event, a first for COSPAR
A notable milestone for COSPAR was the first dedicated Dark and Quiet Skies event. It brought together representatives from the scientific community, international organisations and industry to discuss the impact of large satellite constellations on optical and radio astronomy or recent projects of orbital mirrors to project solar light during the night, as well as strategies for mitigation through dialogue and cooperation with all stakeholders.
The COSPAR Committee on Industry Relations Panel Discussion The Role of Industry in Moving Science from the Lab to the Marketplace – Accelerating Innovation to Operational Use gathered industry leaders from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Thales Alenia Space, L3Harris, and United Launch Alliance and academic researchers to discuss bridging the "valley of death" between discovery and deployment — from IP management to navigating orbital debris, and traffic management.
The programme also featured discussions on engineering innovation, industry partnerships, disruptive technologies, advocacy for scientific research, and the development of the next generation of scientists and engineers. Particular emphasis was placed on mentoring, career development and international opportunities for early-career researchers, reflecting COSPAR's ongoing commitment to building a diverse and globally connected scientific workforce.
The event was complemented by a series of public lectures for the local community, held in Italian, featuring Roberto Ragazzoni, ESA Astronaut Reserve member Andrea Patassa, and leading gravitational-wave astrophysicist Marica Branchesi, helping to share current developments in space science with a wider audience.
As the Assembly concludes, COSPAR thanks the hundreds of speakers, conveners, reviewers, session chairs and volunteers whose efforts made the scientific programme possible. COSPAR also expresses its sincere gratitude to the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) for hosting the Assembly, to AIM Group International for its professional organisation of the event, and to all sponsors and supporting organisations whose contributions helped make the 46th COSPAR Scientific Assembly a success.
The Assembly also marked several important milestones for COSPAR's future: Council representatives re-elected COSPAR President Pascale Ehrenfreund to serve a further four-year term, and also selected the host city for the 48th COSPAR Scientific Assembly in 2030: Toulouse, France, 20-28 July 2030. Looking ahead, COSPAR will continue to foster scientific exchange through its upcoming activities, including the 2nd International Forum on Young Space Scientists (IFYSS) in Nicosia, Cyprus, and the 7th COSPAR Symposium on Life Sciences in Space in Suzhou, China, and the 8 th COSPAR Symposium on Planetary Defense and Science after the Apophis Encounter in Yokohama, Japan, providing further opportunities for the global space research community to collaborate, share discoveries, and support the next generation of space scientists.
Additional press resources, including multimedia from high profile events throughout the conference, are available in the event press kit: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1S7AYemP8LlNcZcj6FSMcekr6gRNc4SKv
Media contacts
COSPAR 2026 Press Office: press.cospar2026@inaf.it
COSPAR Media contact: leigh.fergus@cosparhq.cnes.fr
About COSPAR
The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) is an international scientific organization established in 1958, under the International Science Council (ISC). Its mission is to promote cooperation in space research, with an emphasis on the exchange of scientific results, information, and the development of global partnerships across disciplines for the benefit of all.
Through its scientific Commissions, Panels and Task Groups, COSPAR covers a wide range of space science fields, including Earth observation, planetary protection, astrophysics, and space life sciences and is a trusted advisor to the United Nations on critical issues in space research. It plays a key role in fostering collaboration between the global scientific community, space agencies, industry, and emerging space nations. Through specialized capacity building workshops, it supports the growth of space science expertise worldwide. Its biennial event, the COSPAR Scientific Assembly, brings together thousands of researchers from around the world, serving as a major platform for knowledge exchange and international dialogue.
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