The Government of Spain and the Government of Catalonia are promoting the bid to host the world’s most important space congress in Barcelona in 2029

The Government of Spain and the Government of Catalonia have presented the joint ‘Barcelona IAC 2029’ bid to the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) for the Catalan capital to host the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in 2029, the most important congress in the space sector worldwide. The objective of Barcelona’s bid is to position the city, Catalonia, and Spain within the global space ecosystem, generate economic and reputational impact, and act as a lever for the growth and projection of the space and technological ecosystem. 

Under the theme ‘Water Resilience from Space’, a strategic bid has been presented that stands out for its forward-thinking vision, linking space technology and digital transformation while focusing on the fight against the climate crisis. 

The project seeks to position the city as a global epicentre where artificial intelligence and supercomputing are placed at the service of planetary sustainability, fostering cooperation between space agencies, governments, and industry to accelerate solutions based on satellite data.

The bid underlines Barcelona’s potential as a rapidly expanding technological ecosystem, backed by its proven experience in organising world-class events. By positioning itself at the intersection of the space and digital sectors, the Catalan capital aims to lead a forum focused on the commercialisation of new technologies and industrial growth, fundamental elements in the new era of the global space sector. Hosting the IAC 2029 in Barcelona would not only reinforce Spain’s institutional leadership but would also provide a definitive boost for adopting space innovations in the face of the most urgent global challenges. 

The ‘Barcelona IAC 2029’ bid is co-led by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of the Government of Spain, through the Spanish Space Agency (AEE), and the Ministry of Business and Labour of the Government of Catalonia, through the Secretariat for Digital Policies and in collaboration with the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC). In addition to these institutions and entities, the Local Organising Committee of the bid, responsible for the relationship with the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) throughout the process and for the organisation of the congress should it be selected, also includes Barcelona City Council, through the Deputy Mayor’s Office for Economy, Finance, Economic Promotion and Tourism, and the Barcelona Convention Bureau.

Each year, the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) brings together thousands of representatives from space agencies worldwide, major corporations, startups and innovative industry, academic institutions, universities, and technology and research centres, as well as governments and international organisations, establishing itself as the benchmark event and the primary global meeting point for the sector.

Therefore, for the chosen city, as well as for the region and the State to which it belongs, becoming the host of this event entails:

R  Positioning itself as a key player in the global space ecosystem.

R  Generating economic, scientific, and reputational impact.

R  Acting as a lever for the growth and international projection of the local space and technological ecosystem.

R  Connecting space, industry, and digitalisation with major global challenges such as climate change, sustainability, or data.

The winning host city for IAC 2029 will be decided within the framework of IAC 2026, which will take place in Antalya (Turkey) from 4 to 9 October. Until then, the various bids submitted must carry out actions to promote themselves internationally and garner support, as well as presenting their proposals in person to the voting members of the IAF. In the case of the Barcelona bid, one of the presentations will be made for the first time during the IAF Global Space Conference on Climate Change (GLOC 2026), taking place from 2 to 4 June in Rwanda. 

The bid to host the 2029 congress is driven by a firm conviction to launch a race toward international positioning in the space sector. It will compete against bids from Houston (USA), Geneva (Switzerland), and Muscat (Oman).

Organised for 77 years by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) is the most significant event in the space sector worldwide and the primary annual global meeting point for experts from industry, research, and institutions across the globe in this field: space agencies, companies, academic institutions, and international organisations. 

Every year, the IAC changes its host country, theme, and local organiser to allow everyone to learn more about the global space scene and become a part of it. 

The IAC has been held in Spain on four occasions throughout the history of the congress, and Barcelona hosted the seventh edition in 1957. On that occasion, in the midst of the space race between the United States and the former USSR, Barcelona became the centre of the global space sector with the announcement of communications with Sputnik, the first artificial satellite in history.