LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The 2013 International Symposium on Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS) will focus on strategies for managing the risks and reaping the rewards of the rapidly evolving commercial space industry, officials announced today. Keynote speakers and panelists at the ninth annual symposium will explore best practices that increase yield and decrease costs with attention to the present and future applications that modern society needs. Closely coupling science and technology development with market demand is necessary as our industry addresses risk assessment and management. Discussions will address realistic expectations and timeframes for achieving the rewards as commercial space transportation continues to justify early investments.

“The commercial space industry is entering an incubation phase in the product development cycle,” said Pat Hynes, IPCS chair. “It is still necessary to continue testing as development work progresses and manufacturing begins. When science leads to development, the potential for innovation is closer to realization. Testing continues and evidence of market growth appears to be coalescing and may support manufacturing and deployment of systems in the launch vehicle and payload development areas. Interest is expanding in spaceport development as states continue to apply for licenses. Broader capitalization for this industry, coupled with the decrease in government spending, continues to have a catalyzing effect on this industry.”

A number of highly qualified thought leaders will address the most relevant issues and trends in the high-risk business of developing new technology platforms, including the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS) on the International Space Station and suborbital human space transportation vehicles and their launch sites. Once again, ISPCS will provide the unique experience of the American west for the “who’s who” in the commercial space industry to come together for the ultimate in content and networking.

Keynote speaker, John Gertner, author of The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation, continues the tradition of ISPCS in looking to the past success stories like the industrial lab model of Bell Labs to take lessons learned into the future of commercial space. Gertner will connect the dots between the past and future with his discussion on the revolutionary innovations and breakthroughs that emerged from Bell Labs in the Twentieth Century.

Additional speakers include a keynote from Gwynne Shotwell, CEO of SpaceX, and panel discussions led by George Nield, Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation for the Federal Aviation Administration and Sandy Magnus, Executive Director of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

ISPCS 2013 will draw more than 450 leaders and international representatives of the commercial space industry, government agencies, military, investors and academia. Partnerships among corporations, government laboratories, and federally funded university researchers is essential to the U.S. innovation pipeline. The commercial space transportation industry is creating innovative platforms that will create leaps in human knowledge as they come to market. The potential rewards of building these platforms must be weighed against risk.

The high value content offered at ISPCS helps participants understand the current environment, in relationship to the past as we gain strength and knowledge to strategically plan the future, confront the challenges ahead and reap the rewards for the risks incurred.

ISPCS 2013 takes place Oct. 16-17 in Las Cruces, N.M. Registration will open in early July 2013. Sponsorships and exhibitor packages are still available.

About ISPCS

The International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS) is the most relevant, high-value commercial space conference of the year, featuring the industry’s top thought leaders and cutting-edge technologies with commercial applications for military, scientific and personal spaceflight. This year, through two high-impact days of dynamic dialogue, ISPCS will address strategies to manage the risks and reap the rewards of the commercial space industry. ISPCS is a partner with New Mexico Space Grant Consortium, a member of the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program. For more information, visit www.ispcs.com.

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