SRI Announcements

Jul

2024

PRESS RELEASE: Space Renaissance International Achieves Observer Status at U.N. COPUOS

Space Renaissance International Achieves Observer Status at U.N. COPUOS
Championing Space Development for Humanity

VIENNA, Austria – July 2, 2024 – Space Renaissance International (SRI) is proud to announce it has been granted provisional observer status for three years at the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). This milestone decision was achieved during the 67^th COPUOS General Assembly held from June 19-28, 2024, in Vienna, Austria.SRI joins four other newly approved non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in receiving this esteemed status: the African Astronomical Society (AAS), the Global Satellite Operators Association (GSOA), the Outer Space Institute (OSI), and Space Data Association (SDA). After the three-year provisional period, SRI will be eligible to become a Permanent Observer.

“SRI unwaveringly supports the values and member states of UN COPUOS, along with fellow prestigious observer organizations such as the IAF, COSPAR, IAA, ESA, and EU“, said Professor Bernard Foing, President of SRI. ”Our SRI geographically diverse community, with renowned expertise in space techniques and humanities, approved a 5-year action plan in 2021, giving birth to the Space 18^th SDG Space4All movement, to serve citizen development on Earth and Beyond.”

“I personally feel emotionally proud for SRI, as I co-organized the July 1999 Space Generation Congress at UniSpace III in Vienna, which led to SGAC Space Generation Advisory Council to UN, and many great results and follow-up progress. And I participated in multiple events with U.N. since 1995,” adds Professor Foing.

“This recognition by COPUOS marks a significant step in our mission to promote space development and its benefits for all of humanity,” said Adriano V. Autino, CEO and Founder of SRI. “We are honored to bring the perspective of space philosophy to this crucial international forum.”

“Of course, people know the benefits of satellite technologies on Earth’s surface, such as for example, GPS, climate monitoring, water management, and disaster recovery. What many people do not know, or yet fully comprehend, is the urgency to initiate civilian space development and civilization expansion into outer space,” Autino explained. “Our mission remains to advocate for this urgent expansionist view within the U.N. and in the broader public. We will continue to promote the global benefits of space.”

The 67^th COPUOS General Assembly focused heavily on space sustainability and the role of space in achieving sustainable development goals. A key advance was the formation of the Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultation (ATLAC) by the Romanian delegation, with support from South Korea. This signaled growing international interest in collaborative lunar resource exploration and exploitation.

The assembly highlighted the potential of the incoming cislunar economy as a constructive and collaborative alternative to current geopolitical challenges. Discussions addressed major space initiatives like the Artemis Accords and the International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), indicating them as possible best practices.

SRI’s observer status at COPUOS will allow the organization and the Space 18^th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Coalition members to contribute to critical space-related issues. This includes SRI’s significant progress in the ratification of an 18th SDG focused on space sustainability and the power of space to accelerate and ensure the success of all the other 17 SDGs. This initiative has garnered significant support from several delegates, in informal talks.

Ms. Aarti Holla-Maini, Director General of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), expressed her appreciation for SRI’s commitment to bringing space philosophy into COPUOS discussions.

SRI extends its gratitude to its delegation at the 67^th COPUOS General Assembly: Werner Grandl, Marie-Luise Heuser, Bernard Foing, and Adriano Autino.

Special gratitude goes to Robert Katz, Mikhail Baskov, Frank White, Gary Barnhard, Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom, and the entire Space 18th SDG Coalition for their invaluable previous and continued support. Most notably, they recently convened a well-received Pre-COPUOS Summit to assemble, assess, and aggregate recommendations for COPUOS General Assembly topics from the Coalition’s 82 international member organizations. An analogous follow-on Pre-General Assembly Summit will be held in person at U.N. Plaza in New York City, and virtually, on September 13, 2024, to coincide with and support the 79^th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79).

“This achievement is a testament to the collective effort of our global community,” Autino added. “We look forward to collaborating with UN COPUOS member states, space agencies, and other observer NGOs like the National Space Society, IAF, COSPAR, Moon Village Association, and Secure World Foundation in advancing space activities for the benefit of all humanity, including future space-based communities.”

Looking ahead, SRI plans to identify countries supportive of the Space 18th SDG proposal, continue to support COPUOS and its vital mission and increase public awareness of UNOOSA and COPUOS activities.

For more information about Space Renaissance International and its initiatives, please visit https://spacerenaissance.space.

About Space Renaissance International:

Space Renaissance International (SRI) is a global non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the peaceful civilian development and further exploration of outer space for the benefit of all humanity. SRI advocates for space philosophy and sustainable space development as key factors in addressing global challenges and securing a prosperous future on Earth and Beyond.

About Space 18^thSDG:

The Space 18^th SDG initiative, led by Space Renaissance International and the National Space Society, is spearheading and accelerating global efforts to establish a new Sustainable Development Goal focused on sustainable civilian space development and leveraging space technologies to accelerate the achievement of the existing 17 SDGs. This proposed goal recognizes the critical role of space in overcoming global challenges and ensuring a sustainable future for humanity both on Earth and beyond.

About U.N. COPUOS:

The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) was established by the General Assembly in 1959 to govern the exploration and use of space for the benefit of all humanity. It serves as the primary international forum for the development of laws and principles governing outer space activities, and for fostering international cooperation in space science and technology applications.

Join the Alliance of the 82 Co-promoters: https://spacerenaissance.space/sign-the-18th-sdg/

Join the Space Renaissance: https://spacerenaissance.space/membership/international-membership-registration/

Download a pdf version.

Nov

2022

Moon Village Association and Space Renaissance International sign a Memorandum of Understanding

Vienna, Austria – (November 9 2022)
On 9th November, 2022 during the Moon Village Association’s Workshop and Symposium taking place in Los Angeles, California, leaders of the MVA and of the Space Renaissance International announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for furthering their shared goals of researching the developments in the space sector.
The Memorandum of Understanding has the scope to start collaborating in a joint effort to promote space activities, science public outreach, education and international participation of space stakeholders into research in all subjects related to the development, use and further exploration of outer space.

Continue reading →

May

2022

Space Renaissance International & Partners are happy and proud to announce the Space Renaissance Art & Science Festival of Berlin

The Festival will take place, from 7 to 9 July 2022, at the Archenhold Observatory in Berlin (Germany).

You are welcome to join the Festival in presence, sizing an excellent opportunity to visit the historic Archenhold Observatory and the beautiful city of Berlin. However, the Festival will be an hybrid conference, therefore virtual attendees are welcome as well.

Register here for free

A detailed programme, and all the information – including logistics and hotels accommodations – are available on this page.

The agenda, in brief:

The first day, 7 of July, focuses on “Space Philosophy & Policy”, with a Panel on Civilian Space Development – How to accelerate it? How to support new space industry to achieve the goal of kicking off civilian space development within 2030? What should space agencies do, and what should the space activist organizations do?
The 8 of July, “Astronauts and Civilians, Science & Tech Day”, will see two panels: on Space Habitats and Analog Training; Space Night, after dinner: Night Observation at the giant telescope
The 9 of July, the “Space Art Day”, with two art panels, in German and English language

The programme includes several keynote speakers, e.g. Seth Shostak (SETI), Giuseppe Reibaldi and John Mankins (Moon Village Association), Michelle Hanlon (NSS President), Bob Zubrin (Mars Society Founder), Jan Wörner (former ESA Director General), Bernard Foing (SRI President, chair of ITACCUS and EuroMoonMars). Many experts will tell us what’s going on on the edge of space settlement, science, art and exploration.

Several space artists will present their artworks, including: Priscilla Thomas, Mary Kuiper, Barbara King, and many members of the MoonMars art group.

The Festival will host the GALIX Congress 2022.

The Partners contributing to organize the Berlin Festival:

Space Renaissance International
Space Renaissance Germany
ITACCUS – IAF Committee for the Cultural Utilisation of Space (ITACCUS)
The Mars Society
Support Association of the Archenhold-Observatory and the Zeiss Gross Planetarium Berlin e. V.
Society for Culture and Space e. V. (Gesellschaft für Kultur- und Raumfahrt e. V.)
LUNEX EuroMoonMars
Stiftung Planetarium Berlin (Berlin Planetarium Foundation)
SZ-Rechtsanwälte Steinhäußer & Zieschang
GALIX – Global Alliance for International Collaboration in Space

Registration is open, for free

The participation is free, however all attendees are kindly requested to register, to help the organization of the conference: https://spacerenaissance.space/register-to-the-space-renaissance-festival-berlin-2022/

Jul

2021

THE 2021 SPACE RENAISSANCE CONGRESS FINAL EVENT JULY 15TH, A GREAT EVENT!

The 2021 Space Renaissance Congress held its final event July Thursday 15yth, and it was a great event! In case you missed it, you can watch it here.

Our new elected President, Prof. Bernard Foing, chaired the event with great competence and verve, and pronounced a brief address, unveiling the next five years period, towards the SRI 4^th World Congress, in 2026.

The Congress had 300 registered attendees from 43 Countries: Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brasil, Bulgaria, Canada, Ch, China, Denmark, Deutschland, Equador, France, Germany, Ghana, Hawaii, India, Iran, Iran, Italia, Japan, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Nepal, Nl, Norway, Pakistan, Peru’, Philippines, Polska, Republic Of New Afrika, Russian Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Turkey, Ucraina, Uk, Ukraine, Usa, Venezuela.

The Congress sessions had more than 1000 visualizations on the Space Renaissance Youtube channel.

Three Motions were approved during the June 30th 2021 Voting Session, and confirmed during the following 15 days by the online voting mechanism:

the 2021 Space Renaissance Congress Final Resolution – got 97.83% AYE, 0% NAY, 2.17% ABSTAIN
the motion on Congress Thesis 1 – got 93.48% AYE, 0% NAY, 6.52% ABSTAIN
the motion on Congress Thesis 2 – got 93.48% AYE, 0% NAY, 6.52% ABSTAIN

65.71% of the having right to vote expressed their vote for the 3 final motions.

The SRI President, Prof. Bernard Foing, was elected with 95.35% AYE, 0% NAY, 4.65% ABSTAIN

61.43% of the having right to vote expressed their vote for the new President.

The SRI Board of Directors was elected with 93.02% AYE, 0% NAY, 6.98% ABSTAIN

61.43% of the having right to vote expressed their vote for the new Board of Directors

The detailed SRIC3 Acta, including all the presented papers and oral presentations (Youtube videos)

The SRI President, Prof. Bernard Foing, was elected with 95.35% AYE, 0% NAY, 4.65% ABSTAIN

61.43% of the having right to vote expressed their vote for the new President

The SRI Board of Directors was elected with 93.02% AYE, 0% NAY, 6.98% ABSTAIN

61.43% of the having right to vote expressed their vote for the new Board of Directors

The detailed SRIC3 Acta, including all the presented papers and oral presentations (Youtube videos)

1) The complete and detailed Acta of the Congress is online, for all of us to be viewed and reviewed. On this page you can find:

The presented papers, for download
The pointer to each live presentation, in the recorded videos on YouTube (hyperlink-pointer to the hour:minutes:seconds)

When watching to any video on the YouTube Space Renaissance channel, don’t forget to subscribe to the channel!

Soon we will also begin the work to assemble the Acta Book, to be published on Amazon, let’s say, within September 2021.

Prof. Bernard Foing — for 30 years ESA officer and tireless space activist — is the new elected President of Space Renaissance International.

Here’s the brief address Bernard pronounced during the Final Party:

“Thank you very much Adriano and all of you, dear friends and colleagues. It is really a honor and a pleasure for me to step into this task, of leading the Space Renaissance International, and all the initiatives we have been discussing. I want to give a special tribute to the Founders, our fathers founders! They gave us a great initial Constitution, the Statutes and also the initial direction. Thanks to all of you, who contributed to the recent Space Renaissance Congress. We discussed many ideas, concepts and contents, and we discussed the Theses documents, converging to our Final Resolution, that was adopted for the next five years. So, this part is a very clear line roadmap for what we could do. I am a man of soul, but also a man of action, I like to think with my hands too, well knowing they can help my brain. I want to pay tribute to the leaders of Space Renaissance International, in particular to Adriano, who has taken a very commitment and motivation to all of us. Then I rise this glass in honor of Adriano and all of our Directors.”

Taking the maximum cultural profit from our Congress. What is the main outcome of our Congress? It is constituted by the concepts that emerged during the presentations and discussions, the things we understood, or better clarified, thanks to the great collective work we made, since October 2020 to July 2021, through the webinar series and the five days of the Congress. During the next weeks and months we will produce several newsletters and articles, “mining” the conceptual contents. A few non exhaustive examples:

the social inclusivity, as a 4th parameter to assess the level of a civilization (with reference to the Kardashev-Zubrin-Sagan scale)
the solution of the energy issue on Earth, by moving the industries outside the planet, in the cislunar space
the key and indispensable role of the new space industry to save and lead the global economy growth, overcoming the multiple crisis
a gas strategy to kick-off the civilian space development before 2030
a new enthusiastic aim to bring art in space, giving voice and visibility to many passionate space artists
a new enthusiastic rush to give voice and representation to all of the Countries of Planet Earth, wherever there’s somebody aiming aim, out of this world
the urgency and the opportunity to start recovering and reusing space debris

Just to name some of the many key concepts we discussed in this congress.

Keep on following and supporting the Space Renaissance!

Also consider joining the SRI Crew…

Join the Space Renaissance Crew today, to help us implementing the civilian space development!

Long live the Space Renaissance!

Mar

2020

A call to the world wide Space Community: the Civilian Space Protocol

Space Renaissance International, together with Lifeboat Foundation, Team Synergy Moon and Seanasol, just launched a world wide initiative, called “The Civilian Space Protocol” (CSP). The protocol is a letter that we plan to send to the Governments of 194 Countries of Planet Earth, to solicit them to spend at least 20% of their military budget to fund the civilian space development. Continue reading →