TL;DR
NASA issued a media advisory on Oct. 22 inviting journalists to the 2026 von Braun Space Exploration Symposium, scheduled for Oct. 26-28 at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The program includes sessions on Artemis II and III, sustainable lunar operations, propulsion, space nuclear technology and workforce issues; registration is handled by the American Astronautical Society.
NASA invited members of the media to the 2026 von Braun Space Exploration Symposium, scheduled for Oct. 26-28 at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The program will bring together government, industry, policy and academic participants for discussions on returning people to the Moon, developing sustainable lunar infrastructure, propulsion and the space workforce.
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The American Astronautical Society is organizing the annual symposium in collaboration with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. NASA’s Oct. 22 media advisory says the event will include panels, keynote presentations and awards. The notice does not provide a full timetable or identify every speaker for each session.
Listed program topics include Artemis II and III, short presentations on space propulsion, utilities and infrastructure for sustained lunar operations, and supply-chain resilience for a Moon base. Other sessions are set to address space nuclear technology, changes to NASA’s workforce and future engineering needs.
NASA speakers named in the advisory include Deputy Associate Administrator Casey Swails; NASA Marshall Director Stephen Cash; Science Mission Directorate Associate Administrator Nicky Fox; Artemis II Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson; Human Landing System Program Manager Steve Creech; and acting Orion Program Manager Debbie Whitis Korth. The advisory does not specify which sessions each will join.
Lunar Plans Take Center Stage
The symposium’s agenda places NASA’s lunar exploration plans alongside the practical systems needed to sustain activity on and around the Moon. Discussions of utilities, supply chains and propulsion concern how lunar missions could be supported, not only the missions themselves. The advisory lists these as subjects for discussion; it does not announce new mission decisions, contracts or technical results.
For readers following NASA’s Artemis program, the inclusion of Artemis II and III offers an opportunity to hear program and agency representatives discuss those missions at a public industry and policy gathering. The event also brings workforce and engineering topics into the same program, reflecting the range of institutional and technical questions raised by long-term space exploration. The advisory does not say that a specific policy change or program update will be made at the symposium.
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An Annual Huntsville Gathering
The von Braun Space Exploration Symposium is an annual event organized by the American Astronautical Society with NASA Marshall’s collaboration. NASA describes it as a meeting of leaders from government, industry, policy and academia to discuss the state of space exploration and possible paths forward. The 2026 edition is scheduled to take place at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.
NASA’s release is a media advisory, not a report on an event that has already taken place. It was issued Oct. 22, four days before the scheduled opening. Its stated themes and speaker list are confirmed details in the advisory, while any statements, announcements or outcomes from the sessions remain in the future as of the notice.
Program Details Still Pending
The advisory does not give a detailed session schedule, identify all presenters or say which named NASA officials will appear in particular panels. It also does not specify whether sessions will be livestreamed, recorded or open to the general public; it says media can seek to participate in person or online by registering through the American Astronautical Society.
No specific new NASA decisions or mission announcements are promised in the notice. What the speakers will say about Artemis, lunar infrastructure, propulsion or workforce planning—and whether the discussions will produce public recommendations—is not yet clear. Those details may emerge through the event program or during the symposium.
Media Registration and Event Dates
Media members interested in attending in person or online are directed to contact the American Astronautical Society to register. Journalists seeking interviews with NASA speakers during the event are asked to contact Lance D. Davis and Joel Wallace at the email addresses listed in NASA’s advisory.
The symposium is scheduled to run from Monday, Oct. 26, through Wednesday, Oct. 28, at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The next public details to watch for are the session schedule, any instructions for online participation and statements or announcements made by speakers during the event.
Key Questions
When and where is the 2026 von Braun Space Exploration Symposium?
The symposium is scheduled for Oct. 26-28, 2026, at the University of Alabama in Huntsville.What topics are on the program?
NASA’s advisory lists Artemis II and III, lunar infrastructure and supply chains, space propulsion, space nuclear technology, workforce issues and future engineering among the planned topics.How can media register or request interviews?
Media interested in attending in person or online should contact the American Astronautical Society to register. Interview requests for NASA speakers should go to Lance D. Davis and Joel Wallace, whose email addresses appear in NASA’s advisory.Has NASA announced new mission decisions as part of the symposium?
The Oct. 22 advisory announces the event and its planned subjects, but it does not promise any new mission decisions or announcements. Any developments from the sessions remain unknown ahead of the symposium.Source: primary
