International space conferences serve as global meeting points for scientists, agencies, industry leaders, students and policymakers. They vary in theme, scale and audience, but together they form the backbone of global coordination in space exploration, research and governance.
# International Astronautical Congress (IAC) The International Astronautical Congress is the world’s largest multidisciplinary space gathering. It is hosted by a different country each year and typically takes place in **September or early October**.
The venue rotates globally according to the International Astronautical Federation’s selection process. The IAC blends policy, science, education and industry, and hosts the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court World Final - iafastro.org 
# COSPAR Scientific Assembly The COSPAR Scientific Assembly is organised by the Committee on Space Research and focuses on scientific research across space disciplines including heliophysics, planetary science, astronomy and Earth observation.
It is held **biennially**, usually in **July or August**, with host cities rotating worldwide among major science centres - cosparhq.cnes.fr
# NewSpace Africa Conference The NewSpace Africa Conference is a key gathering for the African space sector, drawing agencies, companies and investors. It highlights emerging industries, commercial space opportunities and continental cooperation.
The event typically occurs in **April**, with venues rotating among African capitals; Cairo hosted the 2025 edition - newspace.africa
# IEEE Aerospace Conference This conference focuses on aerospace and space systems engineering and is organised by the IEEE Aerospace & Electronic Systems Society. It takes place annually in **March**, hosted in Big Sky, Montana, USA.
It is known for its technical depth and emphasis on mission engineering, robotics, communications and spacecraft systems - aeroconf.org
# SpaceOps Conference The SpaceOps Conference is dedicated to the operations of space missions, covering ground systems, spacecraft operations, fault management, scheduling and data-handling.
It is held **biennially**, typically in **May**, with venues rotating internationally. The 2025 edition was scheduled for Montreal, Canada - spaceops.org
# Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA)
LIMA is a large aerospace and defence exhibition that includes space-related content and industry showcases. It takes place **biennially** in **May** at Resorts World Langkawi in Malaysia. While broader than space alone, it plays a growing role in Southeast Asia’s commercial space ecosystem - limaexhibition.com