Moon Return and Lunar Infrastructure on Agenda as NASA Invites Media to 2026 Braun Space Exploration Symposium

Symposium dates and focus

The symposium runs from Monday, Oct. 26, through Wednesday, Oct. 28, at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. NASA is inviting members of the media to attend. This year’s program centers on returning people to the Moon, creating sustainable lunar infrastructure, developing advanced space propulsion and the changing space workforce. The annual gathering aims to consider the state of space exploration and ways forward.

Panels and featured speakers

Planned sessions include discussions of Artemis II and III, short talks on space propulsion, utilities for sustainable lunar operations and supply chain resilience for a Moon base. Other topics include space nuclear technology, navigating NASA’s new workforce and engineering the future.

Featured participants include Nicky Fox, associate administrator of NASA Headquarters’ Science Mission Directorate, and Debbie Whitis Korth, acting program manager of the Orion Program at NASA Johnson. The schedule also includes keynotes and awards presentations.

Registration and event organizers

Media seeking interviews with NASA speakers should contact Lance D. Davis at lance.d.davis@nasa.gov and Joel Wallace at joel.w.wallace@nasa.gov. Those who want to participate in person or online must register through the American Astronomical Society.

The American Astronautical Society organizes the event with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. It brings together leaders from government, industry, policy and academia.