This year, the International Astronautical Congress – the world’s largest space science and technology conference – came to Sydney. From 29th September to 3rd October, over 7500 delegates from a hundred nations mingled at the International Convention & Exhibition Centre beside Darling Harbour, attending plenaries and technical sessions, and roaming the massive exhibition hall featuring displays from space sector companies, government agencies, Aussie universities and research organisations, and more.
Plenary session at the IAC discussing Australia’s forthcoming lunar rover.
Not to miss an unbeatable opportunity to get a finger on the pulse of global space activity, I hopped over to Sydney to attend as part of the volunteer crew. Between shifts, it was a ‘choose your own adventure’ of academic talks and interactions with refreshingly optimistic people. A friend taught me what it means to ‘hobnob’, a term I’d only ever associated with the eponymous biscuit. I did plenty of hobnobbing.
A few conversations galvanised exciting new ideas for SSP, which will be shared soon. Thank you to all those who took a moment to discuss science outreach and pack camels – it is abundantly clear that there is growing appetite to invigorate public interest in scientific exploration in Australia.
Lastly, how wonderful to have bumped into so many familiar faces and old friends from around the country – a pleasant side-effect of the IAC visiting our corner of the world. It’s a tight yet rapidly expanding crowd of space folk down under…
