Moon race and private competition take center stage at International Astronautical Congress

The International Astronautical Congress (IAC) is convening in Milan this week, where the world’s leading space agencies are gathering amidst heightened geopolitical tensions and an emerging competition in space exploration, particularly focused on lunar missions. With private sector involvement surging, the conference aims to address the growing rivalry spurred by companies like Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

Since its inception in 1950, the IAC has provided a platform for scientists, engineers, and political leaders from spacefaring nations to foster collaboration, even during times of international strife. This year’s event is notable for bringing together representatives from the US and China, two of the foremost competitors in space. However, the absence of Russia’s space agency Roscosmos underscores the shifting dynamics, as the agency remains isolated from the West following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Nearly all of the 77 member countries of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), which organises the IAC, are participating in discussions that are expected to heavily emphasise lunar exploration. IAF President Clay Mowry highlighted the congress’s significance, noting a record 7,197 technical abstracts submitted, with 37% of presentations coming from students and young professionals. “This is the most exciting time in space since the Apollo era in the 1960s,” Mowry stated.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson is anticipated to garner support for the agency’s strategy to engage private companies to succeed the aging International Space Station, which is set to retire in 2030. The ISS has long been a symbol of space diplomacy, primarily between the US and Russia, despite earthly conflicts.

Meanwhile, NASA is heavily investing in its Artemis moon program to maintain a competitive edge in low-Earth orbit against China’s Tiangong space station, which has been continuously occupied by astronauts for three years. The US and China are racing to return humans to the moon this decade, actively recruiting partner nations and leveraging private sector innovations to shape their lunar ambitions, which is influencing the goals of smaller space agencies globally.