The International Conference Space and Sustainable Development (CEDS2026) has been conceived as a platform for knowledge sharing and exchange of ideas on the challenges and opportunities encountered in space activity, along with the search for alternative actions that enable its utilization in a sustainable manner. Having this goal in mind, technological and scientific areas will be tackled, as well as industrial development and national strategies, including collaboration and juridical frameworks, necessary for the use of the space in a globalized world.
In this context, we invite researchers and academics, professionals from space agencies, government, space study centers from Latin America and the Caribbean and others regions, who are working in these fields, to present their studies and proposals at this Conference, with the aim to contribute at identifying strategies and action possibilities for the advancement of the space activity and its contribution to the global development.
Main Topics
1. Space development: Opportunities and challenges
- Proposal and/or studies for the space development, as set out in the Space 2030 document and by the United Nations ODS. This discussion should cover, among others, the following points:
- The strategic advantages for the development of the space activity and planetary technology. To facilitate the prospective description of the new scenarios that emerges at a global scale and the scientific challenges that emanate from them.
- Role of the industry, academia and government. The roles of each entity, in a space growth policy that strengthens the development of the countries.
- Strategies and regulatory frameworks, emphasizing sustainable development that favors a high degree of social inclusion and economic development.
2. Promotion of Space Science and Technology development
In the knowledge-based society, the generation of value and the positioning of nations in the international context are defined by their level of development and investment in science and technology. In this context, papers which describe the following topics are desired:
- Development of space-related sciences: Physics, Data Science, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Space Biology, among others.
- Technological Development in key areas: Telecommunications, Automatic Control, Geomatics, Robotics, and similar.
- Development of human capital: Striving to develop collaboration schemes with the industry. The seeking of new education plans are highly desirable.
3. Promote Innovation and Industrial Development in Space
Take part of the economic growth resulting from the space industry is not only an opportunity available to the developed countries. In this activity of exponential growth, there are ample opportunities to participate in the economic benefits by generating businesses areas that actively participate in the generation of new products and services that, based on innovation, can provide welfare. Among others, the following opportunities that arises from:
- Geoprocessing, a key industry for harnessing data collected from satellites, drones, aircraft and other earth observation instruments.
- Nanosatellites, the macro trend to use clusters of nano satellites to serve part of the functions performed so far by medium or big size satellites.
- Sensors and instruments, development of sensors for the space industry and its ground sites.
- Robotics, to contribute in the development of instruments and processes in space and other planets.
- Data Science, where the information and knowledge derived from datasets processing provided by space instruments and their various sensors.
- Artificial Intelligence, build the skills to manage complex systems without human intervention, key to the deployment of outer space missions.
4. Space as an Asset of Mankind
Considering that space belongs to all of us, we are seeking guidelines on how to build legal and collaborative frameworks that ensure equitable and their sustainable use, business generation, the use of state-of-the-art technologies and the management of resources, among others. In particular, the following topics are expected:
- Engaging in international agreements: Drawing a distinction between those that are universally enforceable and those that reflect non-binding commitments, as well as analyzing and quantifying the role of the private sector.
- International Legislation: Analysis of the Space Treaties and their amendments in view of the new challenges, demands and globalization crisis.
- Cooperation: as an element to reduce asymmetries in space technology allowing synergies.
Submission of Proposals
- The proposals should be limited to the topics described above and can be based on experiences, studies or proposals.
- Official languages are English, Spanish and Portuguese.
- The proposals should have a maximum 7 pages. Instructions for the authors will be available at the Conference website, starting April 2026.
Important Deadlines
- January 30, 2026 – Opening Call for Proposals
- May 15, 2026 – Deadline submission
- June 27, 2026 – Notification to Authors
