International Astronautical Federation

The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) is the world's foremost global space organization, founded in Paris in 1951 and serving as the umbrella body for national space agencies, industrial companies, research institutions, and professional societies from more than 70 countries. With over 400 member organizations spanning every major spacefaring nation, the IAF provides a neutral international forum for cooperation, coordination, and knowledge exchange across the full breadth of space activities. The IAF's flagship event is the International Astronautical Congress (IAC), the world's largest annual space conference and exhibition — typically drawing 5,000 to 10,000 participants from academia, industry, and government, with the host city rotating globally (Baku 2023, Milan 2024, Sydney 2025). The IAC is where major space milestones are announced, mission results presented, and international partnerships formed; it is the de facto annual gathering of the global space community. The IAF also manages the COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) partnership for space science, administers prestigious awards recognizing space achievement, runs Young Professionals and STEM programs to pipeline the next generation of space workers, and publishes position statements on global space policy issues including orbital sustainability, spectrum governance, and space traffic management.