Fresh off their "biggest and best ever" National Space Symposium,
Space Foundation officials today announced a preliminary slate of CEO
level and senior executive speakers for its companion International
Space Symposium. The international event, which has been held in
Washington for the past three years, makes its debut in Toulouse,
France, 10-13 September.

The Space Foundation conducts the International Space Symposium in
association with Space News and more than 30 participating agencies
and supporting organizations. The Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales
(CNES) is the host national space agency for this year’s symposium.
The forum addresses business aspects of the $100 billion global space
industry.

To mark the business focus of the conference, the program will be
built around five business cases studies, along with panel
discussions, keynote speakers, special networking activities, and an
exhibit hall.

Confirmed business case study presentations are

– "The Invention of the Commercial Space Launch Company" featuring
Jean-Marie Luton, President and CEO, Arianespace

– "Applying the Commercial Software Model to the Space Industry"
featuring Paul Graziani, President and CEO, Analytical Graphics, Inc.

– "Space Imagery as a Global Commercial Product" featuring Jean- Marc
Nasr, Chief Executive, SPOT Image

– "Developing an Integrated Global Strategy for Space Systems"
featuring Masao Kawachi, General Manager, Space Systems Division,
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

– "From Multi-national Collaborative to Global Commercial Operator"
featuring Conny Kullman, Director General and CEO, Intelsat

Other featured speakers who have confirmed include The Honorable
Robert Walker, chairman of the Commission on the Future of the U.S.
Aerospace Industry; Antonio Rodota, director general of the European
Space Agency; and Dr. Alain Bensoussan, president of CNES.

Panels announced by the Foundation include

"What the Financiers See" moderated by Edward Sloot, managing director
of Sofinov;
"Where Are We? Where Are We Going? Navigating Satellite Navigation"
moderated by Peter de Selding, European Correspondent for Space News;
"Buyers and Sellers – Launch Customers Meet Launch Providers;"
"Risky Business-Insuring Space Activities in Today’s Market;"
"From Opposing Viewpoints-A Debate of Government Subsidies"
and "Enough Spectrum for All? The Business Implications of Allocation
and Regulation."
Two signature sessions are slated for the mornings of 12 and 13
September.

"Views from the Top – A CEO Roundtable" will be moderated by Lon
Rains, Space News Editor and vice president, Washington Operations,
SPACE.com. William "Mac" Evans, former president of the Canadian Space
Agency will moderate "The Space Agencies" featuring the heads of
national space agencies.
In addition to Dr. Bensoussan, Dr. Colin Hicks, director general of
the British National Space Centre, has confirmed his participation.
Other confirmed speakers and panelists include Will Trafton, president
of Boeing Launch Services; John Higginbotham, chairman of SpaceVest;
Jim Maser, president of Sea Launch; and Larry Knauer, president of
Space and Russian Programs, Pratt and Whitney Space Propulsion.

Initial sponsors of the Symposium are CNES, Astrium, Space News,
SPACE.com, Analytical Graphics, and the Mayor of Toulouse, The
Honorable Phillipe Douste-Blazy.

For preliminary program information, registration, sponsorship and
exhibit opportunities :

visit www.spacesymposium.org, or call US 719-576-8000.
Cnes contact : eliane.moreaux@cnes.fr , or call (33) (0)5.61.27.33.44