36th Space Symposium (2021)
- Date
- 2021-08-23
- Location
- The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, United States
- Host
- Space Symposium (Space Foundation)
About this event
The 36th Space Symposium (2021) marked a meaningful return for one of the space sector’s best-known annual gatherings. After the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this event brought the global space community back together at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs in a hybrid in-person and virtual format for the first time, creating a timely forum for reconnection, discussion, and momentum across the industry. For anyone working in, building around, or closely following the future of space, this symposium represented more than a conference date on the calendar. It was a place where leaders, operators, policymakers, partners, and the broader aerospace community could meet again, share perspective on where the sector stood in 2021, and have the conversations that shape what comes next. About the Event The Space Symposium is widely recognized as a major convening point for the aerospace and space community, with a strong emphasis on the relationships and conversations that move the field forward. In 2021, the 36th edition carried extra weight: it arrived after a year of disruption and uncertainty, and it did so in a format designed to accommodate both in-person participation and virtual access. Hosted in person at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, United States, the event served as a central meeting ground for global space leaders and the wider ecosystem around them. The hybrid structure reflected the realities of the moment while also expanding how attendees could engage, whether they were able to travel or participating remotely. This was not simply a meetup or a casual networking event, though networking is a major part of its value. It is a large-scale industry gathering built around the exchange of ideas, updates from across the space landscape, and opportunities to connect across government, commercial, civil, defense, and international space communities. The result is an event atmosphere that is both strategic and highly practical: big-picture conversations about the direction of space activity sit alongside the person-to-person meetings that often lead to partnerships, hiring, collaboration, and long-term professional relationships. What to Expect Attendees can expect a program shaped around industry dialogue, leadership perspectives, and community connection. While specific session details may vary, the symposium format is built to support a broad mix of talks, discussions, and informal exchanges that reflect the full scope of today’s space sector. In practice, that often means a day that blends structured programming with the equally important unscripted moments in between. You may move from listening to high-level discussions on the future of space activity to hallway conversations, introductions, and follow-up meetings with peers from across the aerospace ecosystem. What the experience is likely to include: Speaker sessions and industry discussions focused on major themes affecting the global space community Networking opportunities with professionals across aerospace, policy, operations, research, and business Community-building moments that reconnect attendees after the cancellation of the previous year’s event Hybrid participation options, allowing broader engagement beyond those attending on site A concentrated professional environment where many of the field’s most active organizations and decision-makers are in one place Because the 2021 symposium followed a cancelled year, there was also a distinct sense of re-engagement built into the event. For many attendees, the value was not only in formal content, but in the chance to reestablish contact, compare notes on how the sector had changed, and restart conversations that had been paused or moved entirely online. Why Attend If your work touches space in any way, this symposium offers a rare level of concentration: people, ideas, and opportunities gathered in one setting. Instead of tracking developments from a distance, attendees can hear directly from leaders in the field, understand how others are interpreting the current moment, and get a better sense of where collaboration and investment may be heading. The event is especially valuable for people who benefit from seeing the space sector as an interconnected ecosystem rather than a set of isolated niches. Engineers, founders, operators, policy professionals, researchers, business development teams, and community builders all gain something different here, but they share the same advantage: access to a wider cross-section of the industry than they are likely to encounter in their day-to-day work. Reasons this event stands out: Context: Get a clearer picture of the state of the space industry in 2021 after a disruptive period Access: Be in the room, or connected virtually, as global space leaders gather in one place Connections: Build relationships across organizations, sectors, and disciplines Momentum: Turn conversations into follow-ups, partnerships, and new opportunities Perspective: Compare strategic priorities and learn how others are navigating the same landscape For returning attendees, the symposium offers continuity and reconnection. For first-time attendees, it offers a fast, high-value way to understand the tone, priorities, and network dynamics of the broader space community. Practical Details Event: 36th Space Symposium (2021) Format: Hybrid event with in-person and virtual participation In-person location: The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, United States Date and time listed: Monday, August 23 at 12:00 AM UTC Relevant themes: aerospace, space, community, networking, meetup If you are planning to attend in person, expect a professional conference setting at a well-known venue in Colorado Springs, a city with deep ties to the space and aerospace sector. That location matters: it places attendees in an environment that already sits close to many of the institutions, organizations, and conversations shaping the industry. Because this edition was delivered in a hybrid format, attendees should also expect a different participation dynamic than earlier years. Some conversations and connections happen on site, while others extend through virtual access. That makes it easier for a broader community to take part, while preserving the value of in-person interaction for those at The Broadmoor. If you are deciding whether this is the right event for you, the simplest test is this: if you want to understand what the space community was thinking about in 2021, meet the people driving those conversations, and place yourself inside that network rather than outside it, this symposium is built for exactly that purpose.
Who should attend
If your work, strategy, or curiosity touches the future of space, this is a strong room to be in. - **You work in the space or aerospace sector** and want direct exposure to the conversations shaping civil, commercial, and national space priorities. - **You make decisions in government, defense, policy, or procurement** and value being where global space leaders gather to discuss partnerships, capabilities, and direction. - **You lead or build at a space startup or established company** and want to better understand the broader ecosystem, from industry signals to potential collaborators and customers. - **You are an engineer, operator, analyst, or program manager** looking for context beyond your day-to-day work, with access to high-level perspectives on where the field is heading. - **You invest in or advise space-related companies** and want a clearer sense of momentum, risk, and opportunity across the market. - **You follow space closely as a serious student, researcher, or enthusiast** and want to be part of a major convening that returned in a hybrid format after the 2020 cancellation, bringing the community back together at The Broadmoor.