Today was the opening of the annual Congress of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF). At the end of the first conference day today, IAF officials reported the registration stood at 11,300! This number is way more than twice the attendance in recent years, reflecting the fact that the Congress is online because of the pandemic, a challenge never faced in the Federation’s 71 years. The participants include space scientists, engineers, program managers, and industry representatives. Usually about half the attendees present papers, but this year, when the IAF decided the 2020 conference would have to be “virtual,” most presenters decided to wait to present their paper next year.
An added, welcome inducement to participation is that the IAF, given that the conference is virtual, cancelled its usual registration fee of up to $800, which has limited participation from most developing countries.