This year there will be 5 session groups at SGC. They will focus on the 5 IAC Topical Days: Agency, Industry, Climate, Exploration, Peace.

The outcome of the SGC sessions will be presented at the IAC during its topic day.

As the exact content of the sessions will be developed together with the project sponsors no precise info can be given yet. However, we can already present you with enough general info about the session groups that you can already get an impression and start thinking about which session group you would like to participate in. Once more details about the exact tasks for the session groups the info below will be updated.

Share your questions, ideas and comments about the SGC'09 sessions in the SGC'09 Session Forum.

Agency

We, at the Space Generation Advisory Council, consider that our greatest asset is our membership base. Across the world, we represent the current and incoming generation of space professionals. The age pyramid in the space business is inversely proportional to the expansion of the use of space resources by the general public. As the commercial space sector grows, encouraging young space professionals into the agency-run aspects of space is going to need ever more effort. SGAC is looking to work with an international space agency to identify a topic that is crucial to the agency in times of globalisation as well as to create a conduit in which current and future young space professionals can gain insight into the work of a specific agency and how they might build a career in that agency around the issues that excite, drive or concern them.

Industry

One of our most interesting topics this year is the Industry session. Given the globalization and growth of the space industry, and the increased reliance more and more of the world’s population has on space applications, gaining insight into the thoughts and viewpoints of the next generation of space applications users, engineers and space policymakers, can be of immense value. SGAC is looking to work with a top industry player to develop a question that is both relevant to incoming space professionals and that showcases a key issue or issues that are currently facing the space business or a particular space industry sector.

Climate

One of this year’s most visible topics within the international community is the one covered by the Climate session. As we experience changes in the climatic conditions on the planet we live on, understanding the fragile environment and what impact humanity is having through its actions here on Earth and in Space are critical to the long-term sustainability of human activity. SGAC is looking to work with a top government or agency player to develop a question that is both relevant to current and future young space professionals and policy thinkers in the issue of climate and how space can play a central role in publicizing, understanding and potentially mitigating the situation as it stands today.

Exploration

One of humanity’s greatest strengths has been its drive to explore beyond the bounds of its current environment and knowledge confines. Space is humanity’s latest “final frontier”. Given the timeframes of many space projects, human or robotic, it will fall to the next generation of young space professionals to carry out the legacy of those working on these issues today. The Space Generation Advisory Council firmly believes that understanding the perspective of the future space professionals and, vice versa, establishing what is important to this group in terms of future exploration – is mutually beneficial and will help to make sure that space exploration is carried out over the coming decades with continued passion and dedication. SGAC is looking to work with an international space agency or company to identify a topic that is crucial to long-term space exploration and its place in the destiny of the human race.

Peace

Given the location of the Congress this year on the Korean Peninsula and the ongoing peace concerns in that area, questions of peace and how space can be leveraged to promote it is central to the Space Generation’s attitudes in its 2009 Congress. The importance of peace in space, promoting peace on Earth by using space assets and using space activities to promote international collaboration in support of peace activities are central themes to our approach to this topic. We firmly believe that by stimulating thought on how the next generation of policymakers, space professionals and diplomats can work together to make space work for peace, attitudes can and will be changed in favor of such a more peaceful world. We are looking to work with an organization or agency that is interested in thinking in new ways about space and peace and wants to push the envelope of new thinking on this issue to develop a key question on which the contribution of students and young professionals can add value.

Alex Karl

(SGC'09 Project Coordinator)