Moon race, private competition in focus as space powers gather in Milan
Baku, October 14, AZERTAC
The world's space agencies are meeting in Milan this week as geopolitical rivalry fuels a new global race in Earth's orbit and on the moon, with heavy involvement from a private sector toiling to keep pace with Elon Musk's dominant SpaceX, according to Economic Times.
The International Astronautical Congress (IAC) since 1950 has been a venue for the scientists, engineers, companies and political leaders of spacefaring nations to discuss cooperation, even in times of heightened tensions among world powers.
Still, nearly all of the 77 member countries of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the non-profit that organises IAC, have turned out for talks on what attendees expect will touch heavily on lunar exploration, NASA's growing coalition of countries under its Artemis moon programme and Europe's pressing need for more sovereign access to space.
IAF President Clay Mowry said a record 7,197 technical abstracts were submitted for this congress, and a record 37% of the papers would be given by students and young professionals.
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