From 3–7 November 2025, Nicosia will host the 6th COSPAR International Symposium, bringing together leaders from major space agencies including NASA, ESA, astronauts, and top aerospace companies from around the world.

The symposium is organised by the Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO) in collaboration with COSPAR — the Committee on Space Research, the leading international body promoting scientific cooperation in space.

CSEO President George Danos told CNA that this is “the most significant global space research conference of 2025,” marking a milestone event that places Cyprus at the centre of the international space community.

“For an entire week,” he said, “the capital will be filled with leading scientists, astronauts, and heads of the world’s major space organisations.”

Global Participation and High-Calibre Delegates

The symposium will welcome heads of major space agencies such as NASA (USA), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), CNES (France), DLR (Germany), ASI (Italy), and ISRO (India), alongside representatives from major aerospace companies like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.

The event has attracted participants from more than 45 countries, confirming Nicosia as “the global meeting point for space research in 2025,” according to Mr. Danos.

Participation extends worldwide — including researchers from Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, South Africa, Thailand, and Singapore — making the symposium a truly global gathering.

Beyond its geographic diversity, the calibre of participating organisations is impressive, with over 90 institutions represented, forming the elite of global space research and industry.

Among the participants are leading universities such as the University of Michigan, University of California, Texas A&M University, Imperial College London, University College London (UCL), and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, as well as institutions from Singapore, Belgium, and Italy.

Mr. Danos emphasized that the strong presence of the private sector demonstrates the symposium’s importance for the commercial development of space technologies.

“COSPAR 2025 is not just another conference — it’s a strategic meeting of the entire global space ecosystem,” he said.
“For the first time in its history, Cyprus will host a space event of such scale and significance, establishing its place on the world space map.”

The symposium will feature more than 330 scientific presentations from dozens of countries, further highlighting its international scope.

Major Announcements and Scientific Discoveries Expected

At the centre of global attention will be the Cyprus Space Research and Innovation Centre (C-SpaRC), a National Strategic Infrastructure of Cyprus designated in June 2024 as an International COSPAR Centre of Excellence.

Coordinated by the CSEO and funded by the Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF), C-SpaRC collaborates with international partners including NASA and Lockheed Martin.

During a special session, C-SpaRC will unveil groundbreaking scientific discoveries linking human health on Earth to phenomena in space — a world first.

The symposium will also address critical issues such as space sustainability, planetary protection, and the use of space technologies to solve Earth-based challenges.

One of the event’s highlights will be the presentation of COSPAR’s new “Global Space Exploration Roadmap”, a strategic document defining the next decade’s exploration priorities.

Additionally, several international cooperation agreements are expected to be signed, particularly in the field of space weather research, amid increased solar activity.

In parallel, Cyprus is hosting NovaSpaRC, COSPAR’s first global innovation competition, which supports startups in Cyprus and abroad. The CSEO is also expected to sign new agreements to strengthen Cyprus’s space research and industry, generating tangible benefits for the country.

Public Engagement and the Cyprus Space Science Festival

According to Mr. Danos, one of the most exciting aspects of the symposium is the opportunity for the public in Cyprus to experience this historic event firsthand.

As part of COSPAR 2025, the CSEO will organise the “Cyprus Space Science Festival” on Thursday, 6 November at 7 p.m., at the CSEO Outreach Centre on Town Hall Square in Nicosia.

The event will be open to the public, offering families, students, and citizens the chance to meet astronauts, explore real space exhibits, and engage with the scientists shaping humanity’s future in space.

“Hosting this symposium is not by chance,” Mr. Danos noted. “It is the result of a decade of dedicated work by CSEO, reflecting our growing international role and our recognition as a COSPAR Centre of Excellence. C-SpaRC is one of only two such centres worldwide, positioning Cyprus at the core of global space innovation.”