According to the Space Foundation, the global space economy reached $570 billion in 2023, with commercial revenues accounting for $445 billion. Projections suggest this figure could triple to $1.8 trillion by 2035, with growth outpacing the global GDP and influencing sectors from defense and transportation to food production, retail, and digital communications.
Uzbekistan is now positioning itself among the emerging players, with Samarkand bidding to host the 2028 International Astronautical Congress (IAC) – one of the world’s largest space forums, drawing around 10,000 scientists, policymakers, and industry leaders annually.
Recent editions have taken place in Azerbaijan, Italy, and Australia.
For 2028, Samarkand faces serious competition, with the host city to be chosen from among Mumbai (India), Manama (Bahrain), and Hefei (China).
Founded in 1951 and based in Paris, the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) serves as a neutral platform for global space dialogue, bringing together 563 member organizations from 81 countries, from government agencies and companies to universities and museums. IAF Executive Director Dr. Christian Feichtinger, visiting Samarkand earlier this month, described the IAC as “the Olympic Games of space.”
“For the International Astronautical Federation, it is very important to support emerging space countries. Uzbekistan is developing this area, and hosting the IAC in Samarkand would greatly boost its space sector and ecosystem,” Dr. Feichtinger said in an interview with Kun.uz during his recent visit to Uzbekistan.
The country’s Uzbekspace agency, formally the Space Research and Technology Agency under the Ministry of Digital Technologies, has been tasked with shaping national space policy, developing infrastructure, and building international partnerships.
