Key Events for Space Enthusiasts, a comprehensive calendar of high-profile gatherings in the space industry.
The following are some notable events taking place across the globe this year:
- NASA's determination as to what constitutes a 'Widely Attended Gathering' (WAG), which may impact various aerospace organizations and companies. As stated by Space Policy Institute on October 21, 2025, "NASA has issued new criteria for determining whether an event is considered a WAG, with the goal of making it easier to report these events."
- The 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) will take place from September 29 to October 2 in Dubai.
A list of events this year that were recently announced or updated include:
- AIAA Dinner: August 18, 2023
- STScI Event: July 29, 2023
- MSBR Lunch: July 16, 2023
- Rocket Lab Event: July 16, 2023
- H2M Conference and Events: May 28-29, 2023
- Planetary Society: May 19, 2023
The following are some notable events taking place across the globe this year:
- NASA's determination as to what constitutes a 'Widely Attended Gathering' (WAG), which may impact various aerospace organizations and companies. As stated by Space Policy Institute on October 21, 2025, "NASA has issued new criteria for determining whether an event is considered a WAG, with the goal of making it easier to report these events."
- The 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) will take place from September 29 to October 2 in Dubai.
A list of events this year that were recently announced or updated include:
- AIAA Dinner: August 18, 2023
- STScI Event: July 29, 2023
- MSBR Lunch: July 16, 2023
- Rocket Lab Event: July 16, 2023
- H2M Conference and Events: May 28-29, 2023
- Planetary Society: May 19, 2023
Their new criteria is just gonna lead to more headaches for small aerospace companies and organizations. And have you seen the calendar? So many events this year already, it's like people are just trying to one-up each other. I mean, can't we just have a chill space community for once? 
The IAC in Dubai is probably gonna be some fancy-schmancy affair that only the big players will attend. And what's with all these events being announced months ago? Can't they see that people are busy with actual work and stuff 
?
But seriously, it's like they're trying to make space events more accessible and easier to track. I've been following the space industry for years, and it's always been kinda hit or miss when it comes to keeping up with all these gatherings. This change could be a game-changer for folks who are just starting out or want to stay on top of what's happening in space. Dubai is looking like an awesome host city for the IAC - have you guys heard about the new space museum they're opening? 
I mean, who doesn't love talking space? But, gotta say, the new WAG guidelines from NASA are a bit confusing. Are they really gonna start counting all those smaller events too? Like, what's considered "widely attended" if it's not like a huge conference or something?
Space enthusiasts, huh? More like space speculators... I mean, what's the point of even planning these events when we're all just waiting for the inevitable asteroid impact or climate disaster to wipe out human civilization 
. Like, who needs a conference on rocket propulsion when we should be discussing survival strategies? 
. But at the same time, some of these organizations might be worried that it'll affect their ability to promote their own events or get attention from investors 
. It's a bit like how the government is always trying to clarify what constitutes "free speech" - it's all about defining boundaries, you know? 
I'm just hoping this won't stifle innovation and creativity in space exploration 
.
like who gets to call it a 'Widely Attended Gathering' and who doesn't? it's gonna be a real logistical nightmare. just think about all the people scrambling to figure out if their little event or conference counts as one of these things... 
and what happens when some tiny meetup group decides to throw their own WAG but it's actually just 12 people in a basement, lol... this is gonna get messy
when can we expect more events like that? btw have you seen those rocket lab videos they're soooo fire 
. But what about all the other players out there who aren't invited to these high-profile gatherings? Don't they deserve some representation too? It's like, we're still trying to figure out how to work together as a global community, but at least on this one thing, NASA thinks it knows best.
. Who decides what gets labeled as a 'Widely Attended Gathering', anyway? It's like they're trying to shape public opinion, maybe even sway policy decisions down the line 
who knew goin to an event with like 500 people was gonna be a big deal? anyway, sounds like there's gonna be some cool stuff happenin this year, especially that IAC in Dubai... guess it's time for all us space nerds to put on our party hats and get ready for some astronomical shenanigans! 
I don't think it's a good idea to wait until the last minute before planning your space events. Procrastination is not only annoying, but it can also have serious consequences in this high-stakes industry. The clock is ticking, and if you're going to make an event happen, you need to start making it happen now. Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today!
. I mean, NASA's getting all picky about what they consider a 'Widely Attended Gathering'... how does that even work? Do they have some sort of secret algorithm to determine which events are worthy of reporting? And what's the deal with making it easier to report events? Is this just a way for them to exert more control over the space industry?
. I mean, can't we just have a straightforward set of guidelines instead of all this back-and-forth?
and now the 76th IAC is in dubai?? been wanting to go there forever! 
but ugh nasa's new criteria just made me wanna jump out of my seat 
can't wait to see how this all plays out 
. Don't know why they're having all these events around that time of year though... must be some kinda space party