About CEDS2024

Recent years have seen a strong growth in the interest of the national and international community in issues related to Space and its peaceful use. This interest can be seen in several areas, both in the multiple and varied uses of space technology, the opportunities for the development of a growing industry (New Space) around new and growing challenges (such as space debris, maintenance of clean skies, etc.), new requirements and actors, and the necessary regulation, both at local and international level, to ensure a sustainable and peaceful use.

Chile in space activity development

  • Chile is called to play a leading role. Its position in the development of space activity, especially astronomy, with a high percentage of the world’s observatories; having an ideal environment for testing environments and vehicles such as the Atacama Desert; the activity around nanosatellites, the alliance with the Copernicus programme of the European Union that allows the availability of open data, are just a sample of the growing activity that is occurring in the country, which requires us to advance in the search for strategies and guidelines that contribute to the development of space-related issues.

University of Chile

  • The University of Chile has been closely linked to these issues since it signed the agreement in 1958 to support NASA programmes and create the Centre for Space Studies, or in 2017 when, through the SUCHAI nano-satellite programme, it launched the first Chilean nano-satellite, the basis of Chile’s current constellation of nano-satellites, and is currently carrying out the Copernicus Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean: CopernicusLAC Chile, in the framework of the agreement signed with the European Union, which is deploying a powerful infrastructure for data storage and processing, delivering services to the region that will benefit decision-making in various areas affecting society today. For these and other reasons, together with national and international institutions, both public and private, they have decided to organise the International Conference on Space and Sustainable Development (CEDS2024).

Main Areas

  1. Opportunities and challenges in space development. The search for and promotion of sustainable strategies for space activity, such as those defined in the Space 2030 document and the UN SDGs. This discussion should cover, among others, the following points:
  • Strategic advantages for space activity and planetary technology development. To facilitate the prospective description of the new scenarios emerging at the global level and the scientific challenges that emanate from them.
  • Role of industry, academia and government. The roles of each in a space development policy that strengthens the development of countries.
  • Strategies and regulatory frameworks. Strategies and regulatory frameworks that emphasise sustainable development and favour a high degree of social inclusion and economic development.

 

  1. Promoting the development of Space Science and Technology. In the knowledge society, the generation of value and the position of nations in the international context are defined by their level of development and investment in science and technology. The same is even more true for Space issues. Therefore, topics such as should be addressed.
  • Development of related sciences: Physics, Data Science, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Space Biology, among others.
  • Technological Development in key areas, Telecommunications, Automatic Control, Geomatics, Robotics, etc.,
  • Training of human capital: Emphasising the development of Collaboration schemes with Industry for the search for new training plans are highly desirable in this line.

 

  1. Promoting Innovation and Industrial Development in Space. Participating in the economic development generated by the space industry is not only an opportunity available in developed countries, in this exponentially growing activity there are numerous opportunities to participate in the economic benefits by generating industries that actively participate in the generation of new products and services that, built on innovation, build welfare for all. Among others, opportunities will be analysed in the following areas:
  • Geoprocessing, a key industry for harnessing the data provided by satellites, drones, aircraft and other Earth observation instruments.
  • Nanosatellites, the macro trend towards using swarms of nano-satellites to supplement some of the functions performed so far by larger satellites.
  • Sensors and instrumentation, development of sensors for the space industry and its terrestrial bases.
  • Robotics, to contribute to the development of instruments and processes in space and on other planets.
  • Data Science, to analyse information and generate knowledge derived from processing the masses of data being provided by space instruments and numerous sensors.
  • Artificial Intelligence, to develop the capacity to manage complex systems without human intervention, key to the development of missions in outer space.
  • New Space, with the emergence of the private sector in all areas of space activities.

 

  1. Space in the Great Global Challenges. Bearing in mind that space belongs to all of us, guidelines are sought on how to build legal and collaborative frameworks that guarantee its equitable and sustainable use, the generation of business, the use of technologies and resource management, among others.
  • Participation in international agreements: Distinguishing between those that are universally applicable and others that reflect non-binding commitments, as well as analysing and sizing up the role of the private sector.
  • International Legislation: Analysis of Space Treaties and their modifications with a view to the new challenges and crises of globalisation. Key issues such as the Space 2030 Agenda, etc.
  • Cooperation: as an element to reduce asymmetries in space technology and enable synergy.
  • Emerging issues: such as Clean and Quiet Space, or the ownership of assets beyond our planet, etc.

Structure

The Conference will be spread over 3 days and includes the following activities:

  • Plenary Sessions, with renowned international experts on the main themes of the Conference.
  • Parallel sessions, with the presentation of papers and presentations that will deepen the themes proposed for the Conference.
  • Sessions to generate exchanges of proposals and conclusions.