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IAC 2026 Antalya: space missions, Public Day and congress week in Belek

The 77th International Astronautical Congress is scheduled for 5–9 October, with research sessions, institutional exhibitions and a day for the public. ESA’s mission examples and the 9 October programme give the visit a clearer focus.

AI writer · not a human reporter AI · Life Desk Published: Story record updated:
AI illustration combining a satellite, coastal scenery and silhouettes in discussion.
AI-generated editorial illustration with space-research and coastal-city themes. Not a photograph of the real congress, venue or participants, and not a geographical map.
In this report · jump to a section
  1. Antalya on the 5–9 October calendar
  2. Research sessions and institutional exchanges
  3. Three research questions at ESA’s exhibition
  4. What is listed for Public Day?
  5. An Antalya event with a Belek address
  6. Key points
  7. Limits of the evidence
  8. More from Cumhuriyet Atlas
  9. Primary source records

Antalya on the 5–9 October calendar

The official calendar places the 77th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Antalya on 5–9 October 2026. Its theme, “The World Needs More Space”, is presented in terms of sustainable space activity and cooperation between countries. This report uses the programme published as of 5 October; it does not provide an account from the opening or completed sessions.

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Research sessions and institutional exchanges

The International Astronautical Federation (IAF), founded in 1951, organises the annual IAC. The Turkish Space Agency (TUA) hosts the Antalya edition, with SAHA İstanbul as co-host. These are distinct responsibilities within the international congress and its local hosting arrangements.

The programme overview separates the technical programme, plenary programme and IAF Global Networking Forum, while also listing exhibitions and interactive discussions. It still says further details will follow. That overview establishes the programme’s broad structure but cannot substitute for individual speaker lists and session times.

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Three research questions at ESA’s exhibition

ESA’s 1 October announcement identifies three mission examples for Hall 1, booth 1B-02: BepiColombo’s investigation of Mercury, SMILE’s study of interactions between the solar wind and Earth, and Ramses’ planned encounter with asteroid Apophis in 2029. The proposed exhibition therefore connects planetary research, Earth’s space environment and a future asteroid mission.

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What is listed for Public Day?

Public Day is announced for Friday 9 October at NEST Convention Center. Its dedicated page provides a separate registration link, which visitors should distinguish from general congress registration.

The programme files linked from the Public Day page schedule doors opening at 09:30 and an astronaut session on human spaceflight safety at 10:15–11:15. Autograph sessions are listed for 13:30–14:15 and 14:15–15:00, with science shows at 11:00–11:30 and 16:15–16:45. The first show overlaps the end of the astronaut session.

The official records disagree: the FAQ gives a 10:30–14:00 Public Day window and says the dedicated page will be available soon. The times above come from programme files on that accessible page. Neither record displays a publication date establishing which is newer; confirm arrangements with registration before attending.

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An Antalya event with a Belek address

NEST’s official address is in Belek, in Antalya’s Serik district. The venue page gives distances of 32 kilometres from the airport and 45 kilometres from central Antalya. Staying in the city centre therefore involves a separate journey to the congress; those distances are not journey times.

The FAQ requires badges for congress facilities and describes airport transfers purchased through registration. Municipal shuttles remain described as arrangements being worked on, with updates to follow; no current timetable is supplied.

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Key points

  • ESA’s announcement gives the exhibition concrete content through BepiColombo, SMILE and Ramses.
  • Public Day on 9 October has its own registration and programme; travel to Belek needs separate planning.

Limits of the evidence

  • This report is based on announcements and programmes; it does not verify completed talks, attendance figures or scientific results.
  • Scheduled times do not establish completed activities or available places. Confirm the Public Day timing discrepancy, admission scope and current transfers with registration.
Claim-to-record checks
  1. The 77th IAC lists Antalya, 5–9 October 2026, with the theme “The World Needs More Space”. The introduction connects the theme to sustainable use and international cooperation. Congress calendar
  2. IAF, founded in 1951, organises the annual IAC; TUA hosts and SAHA İstanbul co-hosts. Organiser profile · Host responsibilities
  3. The overview separates technical, plenary and Global Networking Forum programmes and says more details will follow. Exhibitions and interactive discussions are also listed. Programme formats
  4. ESA's 1 October notice lists Hall 1/1B-02, Mercury mission BepiColombo, solar-wind/Earth mission SMILE and Ramses' planned 2029 Apophis encounter. ESA exhibition announcement
  5. Public Day is announced for Friday 9 October 2026 at NEST, with a dedicated registration link. Public Day announcement
  6. 9 October programme: doors 09:30; human-spaceflight-safety astronaut session 10:15–11:15; autographs 13:30–14:15 and 14:15–15:00; science shows 11:00–11:30 and 16:15–16:45. Halk Günü programı, 9 Ekim 2026 · Public Day programme, 9 October 2026
  7. The FAQ's 10:30–14:00 window and pending-page wording conflict with the programme files; publication dates are not shown. Visitor access information · Public Day announcement · Halk Günü programı, 9 Ekim 2026 · Public Day programme, 9 October 2026
  8. NEST's address is Belek/Serik; the venue page gives 32 km from the airport and 45 km from central Antalya. Venue location
  9. The FAQ requires badges, describes airport-transfer purchases through registration and promises municipal-shuttle updates. Visitor access information

Primary source records

Inspect the source records · 10

These notes identify the publisher records and dates behind the claims. The explanations are on this page; an external link is included only when necessary for licensing, official action, safety or an indispensable document or provenance. Checking a record does not imply institutional endorsement or certainty for every interpretation.

  1. Congress calendar IAC 2026 / TUA · Checked: 2026-10-05T12:59:09Z
  2. Organiser profile IAC 2026 / TUA · Checked: 2026-10-05T12:59:09Z
  3. Host responsibilities IAC 2026 / TUA · Checked: 2026-10-05T12:59:09Z
  4. Programme formats IAC 2026 / TUA · Checked: 2026-10-05T12:59:09Z
  5. ESA exhibition announcement ESA · Record date: 2026-10-01 · Checked: 2026-10-05T12:59:09Z
  6. Public Day announcement The organiser's page is needed for Public Day registration and current programme checks before a visit; this is not assumed to be the same transaction as a congress ticket. IAC 2026 / TUA · Checked: 2026-10-05T12:59:09Z
  7. Venue location IAC 2026 / TUA · Checked: 2026-10-05T12:59:09Z
  8. Visitor access information The official service record remains available so visitors can check admission identification, transport and accessibility arrangements with the organiser. IAC 2026 / TUA · Checked: 2026-10-05T13:03:44Z
  9. Halk Günü programı, 9 Ekim 2026 IAC 2026 / TUA · Checked: 2026-10-05T12:59:09Z
  10. Public Day programme, 9 October 2026 IAC 2026 / TUA · Checked: 2026-10-05T12:59:09Z

Primary records have been checked with AI assistance. This is not a human reporter’s on-site verification or a guarantee of perfect accuracy.

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