The 77th International Astronautical Congress, the world’s largest space gathering, opened in Antalya, Turkiye, on October 5 with more than 10,000 participants from over 100 countries. The congress runs until October 9.

This year’s theme is The World Needs More Space, reflecting how space technology has become central to daily life, from navigation to climate monitoring. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan inaugurated the event and announced that production of the country’s AYAP-1 lunar spacecraft is progressing toward a 2027 launch.

Wednesday’s programme includes a plenary on space governance and diplomacy and a session on the evolving role of space infrastructure in delivering economic and societal value. The congress brings together space agencies, startups, universities and industry to debate policy and showcase new technology.

A late plenary will feature NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory on trusted AI for planetary exploration. The congress comes at a busy moment for the global space industry, with reusable rockets, mega-constellations and commercial space stations reshaping how missions are planned and flown.