The Space Foundation announced the National Space Symposium will celebrate 25 years as it hosts "The Next Space Age" as the theme. The National Space Symposium is the annual gathering of the global space community. The event will take place March 30 - April 2 at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a beautiful location.

"With the first half-century of the space age behind us and the industry changing on a global scale, now is the perfect moment to look seriously at the coming 50 years, or 'The Next Space Age,'" said Elliot Pulham, president and chief executive officer of the Space Foundation.  "The industry is mature and global, more space faring nations are on the rise, the age of space access for everyone is rapidly approaching, and here in the U.S. we will have a new administration and Congress.  All these factors set the tone for 'The Next Space Age' which begins at the 25th National Space Symposium."

For 25 years the symposium has worked to bring together all sectors of space; civil, commercial, and national security, to highlight the accomplishments and address the opportunities and issues facing the space industry. This symposium's theme "The Next Space Age" reflects the new wave of efforts and advancement in space. The theme and accompanying artwork will be carried throughout the symposium from the exhibit center to a program agenda featuring panels and keynote speakers from across the space industry. 

The 25th National Space Symposium begins with an Opening Ceremony and Reception. The program agenda begins on Tuesday, March 31, with the keynote panel "The Next Space Age." Panel discussions throughout the event focus on the changing customer and partner relationships, end user products, business models, and regulating procedures for future space activities. For the first time ever, the program presents "The Space Commander's Forum", a panel featuring past commanders of U.S. Space Command and U.S. Strategic Command. New Air Force missions are discussed in "The Air Force and Cyberspace; Expanded Missions for the Next Space Age." Finally, "A New Generation for the Next Space Age" panel takes a look at "The Next Space Age" through the eyes of the up and coming generation of space scientists, engineers, program managers, and explorers. The Foundation is also developing a variety of education programs to be conducted in conjunction with the symposium.

More than 7,500 registrants, guests, speakers, exhibitors, and media from across the United States and around the world are expected to attend the 25th National Space Symposium.  Participants, who represent both the future and history of this $251 billion industry, include senior executive leadership from NASA, NOAA, and other civil space and government agencies; the commercial space and satellite broadcasting industry; the Department of Defense and military space commands; space entrepreneurs; universities and academia; and senior representatives from the global space industry. Online registration and more information, including an updated program agenda and early confirmed speaker list, are available at this site.

The Space Foundation commissioned the art work for this silver anniversary event by artist Richard Green, who has created 3-D and futuristic designs for companies, including Mondo Media and Lucas Art Entertainment Company Studios. The artwork's depiction of a futuristic space home and astronaut family looks forward to the achievements of "The Next Space Age" and the upcoming generation of scientists, innovators, and explorers.