IAA in Brief

IAA At A Glance
Electing the world's foremost eminent experts in Astronautics for the good of humanity

The International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) was founded in Stockholm on August 16, 1960. The Academy’s beginning was led by Dr. Theodore von Karman, one of the most important figures in the evolution of rocketry, and the IAA’s first president.

The IAA is an independent non-governmental organization recognized by the United Nations in 1996. IAA members are from all over the world, i.e., approximately from 83 countries.

Since 1960, the IAA has brought together the world’s foremost experts in the disciplines of astronautics on a regular basis:

  • to recognize the accomplishments of their peers,
  • to explore and discuss cutting-edge issues in space research and technology, and
  • to provide direction and guidance in the non-military uses of space and the ongoing exploration of the solar system.

The IAA is involved in numerous scientific activities. For example, the Academy:

  • Encourages international scientific cooperation through conferences, symposia and meetings in the area of: space sciences, space life sciences, space technology & system development, space systems operations & utilization, space policy, law & economy, space & society, culture & education;
  • Conducts 30+ conferences per year;
  • Publishes cosmic studies dealing with a wide variety of topics including space exploration, space debris, small satellites, space traffic management, natural disaster, climate change, etc.;
  • Publishes the journal of the International Academy of Astronautics ACTA ASTRONAUTICA ranked #1 in the world in Astronautics;
  • Publishes dictionaries in 24 languages (last languages Afrikaner and Swahili); and
  • Publishes book series on small satellite, conference proceedings, remote sensing and history.

Recent developments, e.g., the easing of East-West tensions, the progressive integration of European economies, and emergence of the Asian economic revolution, have enhanced the political prospects for international cooperation in space. Cost, scope, complexity and other pragmatic considerations associated with space exploration dictate cooperation among nations; and it is probable that such 21st century initiatives as a manned lunar base and the first manned mission to Mars will be international ventures.

IAA Mission
Shaping excellence in research and innovation for the benefit of humanity

The fundamental purposes of the IAA, as stated in the Academy’s statutes, are to:

  • Foster the development of astronautics for peaceful purposes,
  • Recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves in a branch of science or technology related to astronautics,
  • Provide a program through which the membership can contribute to international endeavors,
  • Promote international cooperation in the advancement of aerospace science.
IAA Tradition of Excellence
Shaping space for humanity and international cooperation for peace

The International Academy of Astronautics is based on the tradition of the great classical scientific academies of the 17th century in Rome, London, and Paris, which fostered scientific inquiry and the exchange of ideas and new information in the earliest days of modern science.

In the words of IAA’s second president, Dr. Frank J. Malina, “the classical academies served in a remarkable manner the phenomenal advance of man’s new method of understanding nature and of applying this understanding for the benefit of mankind“.

The IAA coordinates closely with national academies to foster a spirit of cooperation and progress that transcends national boundaries, cultures, and institutions.

The IAA has established cooperation with:

IAA News
Independent non-governmental organization recognized by the United Nations
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