Views of Harbour Lights installations on marine vessels moving across Sydney Harbour during Vivid Sydney 2022. Secured by BESydney in partnership with Investment NSW, the Australian Space Agency, the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA), and Tourism Australia’s Business Events Bid Fund Program, IAC 2025 demonstrated how coordinated effort across government, industry and academia can turn a global event into a transformative national opportunity.
With an estimated AU$47 million injected into the New South Wales economy, the event also underlined Sydney’s ability to deliver high-impact meetings that go beyond delegate numbers, showcasing Australia’s rapidly evolving space sector to a global audience.
Securing Lift-Off Through Collaboration
The journey to bring IAC 2025 to Sydney began four years earlier with a collective ambition to place Australia firmly on the international space map. For Jeremy Hallett, Chair of the Space Industry Association of Australia, partnership was at the core of success: “It was really important to partner with Business Events Sydney as the engine room of our bid. We didn’t have the resources to do it all on our own. The Business Events Sydney team was emotionally invested in what we were trying to do, which was really meaningful for us.”
The national bid effort brought together a broad coalition. Enrico Palermo, Head of the Australian Space Agency, described it as “a Team Australia effort… Hosting the Congress in Sydney allowed us to showcase not only the nation’s growing space capability but also our collaborative spirit.”
That collaborative drive was echoed by Amber Stanley, Executive Director at Investment NSW, who stressed the importance of legacy-focused outcomes: “For us, it was about inspiring the next generation, driving trade and investment outcomes and showcasing NSW as a global leader in space and innovation.”
Public-facing events were central to this vision. Delivered in alignment with IAC’s Space Week, the Sydney Science Festival, including youth showcases and talks hosted by Powerhouse Museum, offered students and families direct interaction with scientists, engineers and astronauts. This activation extended the event’s influence well beyond the conference floor, fostering early engagement with STEM and science communication.
A Global Launchpad for Ideas and Agreements
The five-day Congress proved to be a powerful platform for international diplomacy and innovation. More than 40 international space agencies participated, including NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Strategic agreements were a highlight: Australia began negotiations for a Cooperative Agreement with the European Space Agency, and signed a landmark Space Framework Agreement with the United States, cementing its reputation as a trusted global partner.
For Christian Feichtinger, Executive Director of the International Astronautical Federation, Sydney was the ideal host: “We really wanted to capture an ambition — which I believe we’ve done successfully — of hosting all of the Indo-Pacific space sector here in Sydney as a global city, then bringing the rest of the world here.”
He added, “We expect to leave a legacy – so that the delegates who come here go back with an understanding that in Australia the space ecosystem is booming… By doing so, we contribute to the development of the national and local space ecosystem.”
Changing Perceptions, Driving Innovation
Beyond policy and partnerships, IAC 2025 shifted public perception of the role space plays in daily life. Lisa Vitaris, Director of IAC 2025 Sydney at SIAA, explained how the programme highlighted the importance of space infrastructure: “Australians are not entirely aware of just how important space is to everyday lives… It was our goal to shift that public perception of space.”
The Congress received more than 4,000 abstract submissions and featured 200+ technical sessions, addressing themes from Earth observation and satellite resilience to emerging commercial space activity. The event created a fertile environment for knowledge exchange, while the exhibition hall became a bustling marketplace of innovation, connecting startups, researchers and global aerospace leaders.
Space Week: Building the Next Generation
Public and educational engagement were foundational to the Congress’s impact. Through partnerships with the NSW Department of Education and the Powerhouse Museum, the Congress hosted the record-breaking Space Day powered by LEGO®, attracting over 12,000 visitors. These programmes created new pathways for young Australians to engage with the space sector.
As Amber Stanley reflected, “Space inspires like no other industry, and this meeting really showed that.”Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg, a keynote speaker, emphasised the scale of progress: “This is a huge milestone for Australia’s space ambitions… Our industry has gone from strength to strength since [the last IAC in 2017].”
Sydney’s Space Legacy Takes Off
The legacy of IAC 2025 extends well beyond the economic uplift. The Congress forged strategic relationships, amplified Australia’s international standing, and inspired a new generation of space professionals. With its world-class venues, collaborative networks and future-focused mindset, Sydney demonstrated once again why it remains a leading destination for global association events.
As Amanda Lampe, CEO of BESydney, summarised: “Meetings like IAC 2025 give us the chance to showcase our world-class research ecosystem, provide a global platform to our brightest minds to share their ideas and breakthroughs and spark new collaborations between local industry and the global community.”
Planning a global event that drives impact and legacy? Partner with BESydney to connect with world-class expertise, strategic networks, and a city ready to bring your vision to life.