IEEC joins the International Astronautical Federation

The announcement of IEEC being a new member of IAF was made during the 72nd International Astronautical Congress (25-29 October, Dubai)

The Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC — Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya) is, since yesterday (25 October 2021), a new member of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF).
 
The announcement was made during the 72nd International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2021), which is being held from 25-29 October in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The IAF organises this congress annually, which this year takes place for the first time in an Arab country.
 
The IAF is an international space advocacy organization based in Paris. It was founded in 1951 — this year celebrates its 70th anniversary — as a non-governmental organization to establish a constant dialogue between scientists around the world and to lay the information for international space cooperation. 
 
At the moment, it has 407 members from 71 countries across the world, including space agencies, leading companies, research institutes, universities, learned societies, professional associations, government organizations and museums. 
 

Presentation of the new members at the International Astronautical Federation General Assembly
2021, celebrated during the 72nd International Astronautical Congress at Dubai. 
Credits: IEEC

Among the benefits of being a member of IAF are access to a global network of potential business partners; attracting and exchanging students and young professionals at IAF targeted events; access IAF events through IAF Grants Programmes, and being included in all IAF promotional materials, among others. 
 
Non-governmental partner organizations include the Committee of Space Research (COSPAR), the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and the International Institute of Space Law (IISL). Intergovernmental partners include the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Office for Outer Space Affairs of the United Nations (UNOOSA).

About the International Astronautical Congress (IAC)

The IAC is a space event and the largest put on by the organization, with approximately 6,000 participants each year. A different member of IAF is selected each year to host the IAC. An annual event held in September or October, the congress includes networking events, talks, and a technical program on advances in science and exploration, applications and operations, technology, infrastructure, and space and society. There are side events including the annual IAF Workshop with the support of the UN, which takes place during the 2 days preceding the IAC.
 

Links

– IEEC
– International Astronautical Federation (IAF) 
– International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2021

More information

The Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC  — Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya) promotes and coordinates space research and technology development in Catalonia for the benefit of society. IEEC fosters collaborations both locally and worldwide and is an efficient agent of knowledge, innovation and technology transfer. As a result of 25 years of high-quality research, done in collaboration with major international organisations, IEEC ranks among the best international research centers, focusing on areas such as: astrophysics, cosmology, planetary science, and Earth Observation. IEEC’s engineering division develops instrumentation for ground- and space-based projects, and has extensive experience in working with private or public organisations from the aerospace and other innovation sectors.  
IEEC is a private non-profit foundation, governed by a Board of Trustees composed of Generalitat de Catalunya and four other institutions that each have a research unit, which together constitute the core of IEEC R&D activity: the University of Barcelona (UB) with the research unit ICCUB — Institute of Cosmos Sciences; the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) with the research unit CERES — Center of Space Studies and Research; the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) with the research unit CTE — Research Group in Space Sciences and Technologies; the Spanish Research Council (CSIC) with the research unit ICE — Institute of Space Sciences. IEEC is a CERCA (Centres de Recerca de Catalunya) center.

Contacts

IEEC Communication Office
Barcelona, Spain
Ana Montaner and Sònia Bagudanch
E-mail: comunicacio@ieec.cat