According to the statement made by the Ministry, IAC 2026, which will be held this year with the theme "The World Needs More Space", will bring together space agencies, scientists, academics, astronauts, sector representatives, entrepreneurs and young people at Antalya NEST Congress Center.
In the evaluations made before the congress, the message that space is no longer just a subject of theoretical or scientific discovery, but an indispensable part of daily life, economic activities, technological independence and global peace, stands out.
With the congress hosted by Türkiye for the first time in IAC history, Antalya will be the center where the heart of world space diplomacy beats between 5-9 October.
"We need more space"
In the statement made by the Ministry, the opinions of the world's leading scientists and managers of international space organizations were also included.
University of Colorado Boulder Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences Glenn L. Murphy Professor. Dr. Hanspeter Schaub pointed out that space technologies are now an integral part of daily life and stated that space directly affects daily life on Earth.
Stating that people are familiar with the Global Positioning System (GPS) and navigation, but they benefit from space technologies in many areas, from monitoring the weather to tracking natural events such as floods and forest fires, Schaub continued as follows:
"Navigation and communication in oceans, deserts and remote parts of the world are possible thanks to space-based systems, affecting almost everything we do. Most of the time, we do not even realize this as we continue our daily lives on Earth. We need space more, space is a part of everything that happens, from the business world to our daily lives."
"Space is a new dimension for humanity's growth"
Hong Kong Polytechnic University Aerospace Research Academy Executive Director Prof. Dr. Yu Hongyu pointed out the new opportunities offered by space and the necessity of global partnership, stating that space is a new dimension for humanity's growth, from resource use to establishing life on planets.
Underlining that global partnership is needed to unlock the full potential of space, Yu said, "Space connects people, ideas and innovation for a future without borders." he said.
"Space can connect countries"
George Washington University Space Policy Institute Space Research Committee Chairman Prof. Dr. Pascale Ehrenfreund noted that humanity's curiosity in space is shaped by the desire for discovery.
Expressing that space always encourages humanity to look beyond what they know and imagine what will happen next, Ehrenfreund said, "Why does the world need more space? Because space can inspire new ideas, connect countries and help us build a better future on Earth. I am looking forward to meeting in Antalya on the occasion of IAC 2026." made his assessment.
"Space does not belong to one country, it belongs to all of us"
Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization, Dr. Hui Jiang also evaluated the congress theme in terms of international solidarity and shared the following:
"For me, this theme means 'more space' to dream, explore and find solutions to problems too big for one country to solve alone. Space does not belong to one country, it belongs to all of us. When we cooperate across borders, we share knowledge, reduce costs and build trust on Earth. International cooperation is the only way we can go further together. I invite the global space community to meet in Antalya at IAC 2026."
