Organized by Space Foundation, the 38th Space Symposium, was held April 17-20, 2023, at the Broadmoor Hotel, in Colorado Springs, CO.

Colorado’s strong, long-standing connection with the aerospace industry is well-known: Colorado is home to the largest private aerospace economy, per capita, in the United States, with more than 240,000 workers in the state’s aerospace industry. In Colorado Springs, alone, over 250 companies create and provide advanced technologies in global positioning systems, satellite communications, cybersecurity, and national defense. Truly, leaders in research, innovation, and aerospace.

During the Opening Ceremonies, on April 17, 2023, the following awards were presented: Space Achievement Award, to NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Team; Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award, to the United States Postal Service (USPS); Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award, to Rachel Harrington; John L. “Jack” Swigert, Jr., Award for Space Exploration, to the James Webb Space Telescope Team; and General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award, to Daniel S. Goldin.

Space Symposium

Some of the topics covered over the course of the Space Symposium included: Space Law and Regulation; Space Investment Analysis; Emerging Topics and Trends Within the Global Space Economy; Civil Space Science and Research; Planetary Defense; Exploration Initiatives; Non-PhD Jobs Available Within the Aerospace Industry; and Next Steps on Nuclear Power and Propulsion – among numerous others.

Thursday afternoon’s Annual Women’s Global Gathering Luncheon had accomplished senior leaders sharing their insights on the important role of women in the exploration of space. Its Master of Ceremonies was Shelli Brunswick, COO of Space Foundation.

Space Symposium was attended by a broad spectrum of the space community, including multiple nations; military, national security, and intelligence organisations; space agencies; cyber security organizations; research and development facilities; commercial space enterprises and affiliated subcontractors; educational institutions; space entrepreneurs and private space exploration; commercial space travel providers; and businesses engaged in creating, adapting, manufacturing, and/or selling space technologies for commercial use; and media that educate and inspire people about space.
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