Welcome to the Norwegian pavilion at IAC 2024

The International Astronautical Congress (IAC) is the world's largest conference in the space sector and will be held this year in Milan from 14th to 18th October 2024.

The world's largest space conference is expected to gather more than 8,000 participants from space organizations, industry, research, innovation, public administration and more, from all over the world.

The theme of this year's conference is “Responsible space for sustainability”, emphasizing the importance of outer space as an arena that is safe and open for exploration, peaceful use and international cooperation for all.

This applies to both current and future generations, regardless of their level of development, and without any forms of discrimination.

The Norwegian pavilion will be opened by State Secretary Tomas Norvoll from the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries on Monday 14th October at 3 PM.

Broad professional program and large exhibition

The IAC conference will have a broad professional program, with presentations and plenary discussions in a number of main areas for the space sector, from research and industry to innovation, manned and robotic exploration of the solar system, the growing private space industry, and much more.

An essential part of the conference is the exhibition, where space organizations, industry, academia and others present themselves and their activities.

The Norwegian pavilion

The Norwegian pavilion will be located in the main exhibition area at IAC. Innovation Norway and the Norwegian Space Agency have collaborated to gather all the Norwegian exhibitors.

In the Norwegian pavilion, Andøya Space, Eidel, Nammo, Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace, Kongsberg Satellite Services, the Norwegian Space Agency and Space Norway will be present with their own stands.

Other Norwegian participants, such as NTNU, Nåva Space Hunch and WideNorth will be sharing a joint stand.

Space Norway will be at the exhibition with three representatives and Andøya Space with eight, from different fields of expertise and at varying times at the conference.

A map of the Norwegian pavilion can be downloaded for Level 0 and searching for MN-D13 here.

Showing what the Norwegian space industry can deliver

- The exhibition at IAC is very large and a joint pavilion presents what we like to call Team Norway more clearly. This gives visitors a uniform overview of what the Norwegian space industry can deliver, says Christian Hauglie-Hanssen, Director General of the Norwegian Space Agency.

He will make a presentation at the inauguration of the Norwegian pavilion at IAC.

- Here it will be natural to highlight the particular advantages that Norway has as a space nation, the strengths of the Norwegian space industry, and how space-based services are important for daily life in the high north, says Hauglie-Hanssen.

- 2024 saw a lot of positive and important news regarding Norwegian space activities, which will be a pleasure to mention as well. The theme for this year's conference, Responsible Space for Sustainability, is something the Norwegian space sector is very familiar with, and a good framework for Norway’s participation at IAC, adds Hauglie-Hanssen.

In 2023, the Norwegian Space Agency arranged, together with the organizers of IAC, the GLOC 2023 conference. This was the first conference on space and climate. Read more about it here.

An important meeting place

Ten representatives from different fields of expertise at the Norwegian Space Agency will be at this year’s IAC. The delegation will be led by Director General Christian Hauglie-Hanssen.

- The Norwegian Space Agency's participation at IAC is a great opportunity to meet both familiar colleagues and new actors in the space business, says Hauglie-Hanssen.

Panel discussions and technical presentations at the conference will give the participants updates in various fields of expertise, as well as on the current trends in the space market.

- There will be hectic meeting activity throughout the week, among other things to discuss the possibilities for collaborations. And not least, we have an important role in participating with the Norwegian industry to front Norway’s activities in space, concludes Hauglie-Hanssen.

Download NOSA's folder for IAC

For more information

Marianne Moen – Head of Communication – Norwegian Space Agency –  +47 480 63 743