2025 AI Symposium

https://www.rocketcenter.com/institute

Experts share insights around the theme, “Automation vs HITL (Human in the Loop)” across multiple industries, including space exploration. Huntsville, AL. January 28-30, 2025.

SmallSat Symposium

https://smallsatshow.com/

Gain market insights and develop meaningful connections with leading space companies, key decision-makers and innovators in the SmallSat industry. $200-$1,695. Silicon Valley, CA. February 4-6, 2025.

Perspectives Spatiales (Space Perspectives)

https://perspectives-spatiales.com/

Over 200 public and private decision-makers gather to exchange perspectives and hear speakers, including ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, discuss "dynamics, threats and opportunities of the European space model". Paris, France. February 12, 2025.

Global Space Law Center & Global Business Law Review Symposium: The Legal and Operational Challenges of Human Space Flight

https://www.law.csuohio.edu/newsevents/global-space-law-center-global-business-law-review-symposium-legal-and-operational-challenges-human

Tune in for discussions around operational and legal challenges around the future of human spaceflight, centering on the domestic regulatory environment and the rules governing Lunar Gateway, and how international law applies to space tourists. $0-$150. Online and in-person. Cleveland, OH. February 13, 2025.

Small Satellites & Services International Forum 2025

https://sssif.com/

Join developers, scientists, suppliers and launchers for unique networking and knowledge opportunities around small satellite sector trends under the theme, “Industrialization and Sustainability in Space.” €230-€540. Málaga, Spain. February 18-20, 2025.

Business of Space Conference 2025

https://www.uah.edu/opce/program-topics/business-of-space

This conference brings together leading academics, business leaders, innovators, and policy influencers working on the new space economy for curated sessions under the theme “Economics, Commerce, and Sustainability of New Space”. $150-$425. Huntsville, AL. February 23-25, 2025.

International Conference on Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering

https://aerospace2025.com/

Join academic scientists and researchers as they share experiences, research results, and solutions adopted in the fields of aerospace and aeronautical engineering. $299-$1099. Rome, Italy. February 20-22, 2025.

ASCENDxTexas

https://www.ascend.events/ascendx/ascendxtexas/

Centered on the innovation and adaptation necessary to navigate the evolving space economy, this year’s conference theme is “Strategic Transitions – Aligning Stakeholders for Giant Leaps.” $199- $149. League City, TX. February 26-27, 2025.

SATELLITE 2025

https://www.satshow.com/

Satellite developers, manufacturers, service providers, and customers gather for updates on the satellite market and opportunities for collaboration on shared technical, policy, and financial challenges. Free-$2999. Washington, DC. March 10-13, 2025.

Space-Comm Expo 2025

https://space-comm.co.uk/

Space-Comm Expo brings together delegations for exhibits, talks, roundtables, and more around the theme, “Accelerating the commercial future of space” as the UK continues to grow its contribution to the global space market. London, UK. March 11-12, 2025.

Farnborough International Space Show

https://farnboroughspaceshow.com/

This annual exhibition and conference connects the space ecosystem across industry, defense, government and academia around six major themes - commercial space, operational space, sustainable space, defending space, exploring space, and earth and space. Farnborough, England. March 19-20, 2025.

40th Space Symposium

https://www.spacesymposium.org/

Global space professionals from all sectors gather to explore critical space issues, dialogue, and drive innovation. $0-$3,560. Colorado Springs, CO. April 7-10, 2025.

CubeSat Developers Workshop 2025

https://www.cubesatdw.org/

Join hundreds of attendees for this annual global small-satellite conference hosted by CubeSat. Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA. April 22-24, 2025.

SmallSat Europe

https://2025.smallsateurope.com/

Insights from technical experts and interactive collaboration on in-depth workshops at Europe's leading SmallSat event. €66.50-€495. Amsterdam, Netherlands. May 27-28, 2025.

39th Annual Small Satellite Conference: Reaching New Horizons

https://smallsat.org/2025/

Forum for the small satellite community to review recent successes, introduce emerging technologies and tackle key challenges and opportunities. This year features the same amount of content in a compressed three-day schedule with no weekend sessions, and a new expanded venue. $350-$1000. Salt Lake City, UT. August 11-13, 2025.

Image Credit: Kevin M. Gill

South Pole Safety: Designing the NASA Lunar Rescue System

https://www.herox.com/NASASouthPoleSafety

This challenge seeks a low-mass, efficient design that’s easy for a single astronaut to deploy on the lunar surface, independently of a lunar rover, to quickly and safely evacuate a suited, incapacitated crewmember. Prize: $45,000 Submission Deadline: January 23, 2025.

3D Printable Bioreactor for Deep Space Food Production

https://grabcad.com/challenges/3d-printable-bioreactor-for-deep-space-food-production

NASA’s Synthetic Biology Project is looking for eco-friendly 3D-printable designs for reusable and recyclable small scale bioreactors to produce nutrients on demand, effectively reducing the mass and volume requirements for deep space missions. $7,000 in total prizes. Ends February 24, 2025.

NASA Space Technology Payload Challenge

https://www.nasa.gov/stmd-flight-opportunities/access-flight-tests/nasa-techleap-prize-information/

NASA TechLeap Prize will award up to nine prizes to qualified commercial businesses, academic institutions, entrepreneurs, and other innovators, worth up to $500,000 each, plus a possible flight test to develop payloads and advance solutions to meet future mission needs. Register by March 4, 2025.

NASA’s LunaRecycle Challenge

https://www.nasa.gov/prizes-challenges-and-crowdsourcing/centennial-challenges/lunarecycle/

This competition around sustainable space exploration seeks to encourage innovative waste management and recycling solutions that can improve the sustainability of longer-term lunar missions. The design that passes the two track, two-phase challenge stands to win $3 million. Phase 1 Submissions Due: March 31, 2025.

Space Waste Revolution Challenge

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/prizes-challenges-crowdsourcing-program/center-of-excellence-for-collaborative-innovation-coeci/space-waste-revolution-challenge/

Selected contributors for groundbreaking research on polymer waste recycling in space environments stand to win $5,000 in total prizes for their recommendations for NASA’s space sustainability initiatives. Challenge occurs in 3 stages executed over 6 months. Close Date: May 16, 2025.

The solar system's biggest space jobs site | Space Crew

https://spacecrew.com/

Accelerate your space career with email alerts for key space industry insights and over 4000 space company jobs.

Jobs in the Space Field & Tech Industry | Space Talent

https://www.spacetalent.org/

Space Talent is a resource for careers at the intersection of space and tech. They match employers with top talent while providing insights and resources to grow your career.

Add your event or campaign. Contact us for details.

Toyota is ‘exploring rockets’ with nearly $45 million investment in Japanese launch startup, chairman says

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/06/toyota-exploring-orbital-rocket-development.html

Toyota Motor is investing 7 billion yen (~$44.4 million) into Japanese launch vehicle developer Interstellar Technologies through its “Woven by Toyota” mobility company. Toyota is exploring the development of orbital rockets and expects to leverage its experience with mass production for Interstellar's rocket manufacturing efforts. 

Satellite manufacturer for Chinese megaconstellation secures $137 million funding

https://spacenews.com/satellite-manufacturer-for-chinese-megaconstellation-secures-137-million-funding/

Shanghai Gesi Aerospace Technology, also known as Genesat, raised over 1 billion yuan (~$137 million) in Series A+ funding from China’s National Manufacturing Transformation and Upgrading Fund, China Development Bank Science and Technology Innovation, and SIMIC Capital, among others. Genesat is a manufacturer for China’s 14,000 satellite Qianfan (Thousand Sails) LEO communications megaconstellation.

Spacecoin deploys first satellite for decentralized space connectivity 

https://spacenews.com/spacecoin-deploys-first-satellite-for-decentralized-space-connectivity/

Spacecoin founder Tae Oh, who spun the venture out of US-based software firm Gluwa, said they have achieved regular communication with their recently launched debut CTC-0 connectivity satellite. Early next year, they aim to start testing space-enabled text messaging, designed to test technology for a decentralized space-based network shared by multiple investors.

SpaceX to attempt booster catch, Starlink deployment test in 7th Starship flight

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/01/10/spacex-starship-flight-7-test-launch/77591597007/

SpaceX is targeting January 15th for its seventh uncrewed test flight of Starship, the first of 25 potential launches in 2025. This flight will feature Starship Version 2 with redesigned forward flaps. The goals for this launch include a booster catch and a first Starlink payload deployment test.

Blue Origin scrubs 1st New Glenn rocket launch due to technical issue

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/blue-origin-scrubs-1st-new-glenn-rocket-launch-due-to-technical-issue

Blue Origin delayed the New Glenn heavy-lift launch after troubleshooting of a vehicle subsystem took longer than the launch window allowed. They are now targeting a launch no earlier than January 16 1am EST.

'Observation Rock' taken by the Mastcam-Z instrument on NASA's Perseverance rover near Curtis Ridge. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS

We finally know where to look for life on Mars

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/search-for-life/we-finally-know-where-to-look-for-life-on-mars

Based on research done in Earth-analogous environments, life on Mars may exist in microscopic fractures deep in the Martian crust, freshwater lakes buried under Mars' southern ice cap, or crater slopes on the Red Planet. Scientists think methanogens, creatures that consume hydrogen and excrete methane as a waste product, are candidates for surviving on Mars. Rovers on the Martian surface have observed seasonal fluctuations of methane, hinting that life might exist.

Ask Ethan: Could SETI detect a “twin” of Earth?

https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/seti-detect-earth/

With only 3000 stars out of ~400 billion within the Milky Way within transmission distance of us (assumed to be 25 parsecs or about 82 light-years away), our presence would be undetectable to more than 99.999% of our galaxy.