“Operational Assurance for All” 12th Annual Space Traffic Conference
The Space Security, Safety, and Sustainability (SSSS) Program at The University of Texas at Austin’s (UT) Strauss Center for International Security and Law, the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), UT’s Cockrell School of Engineering, and MITRE, held the 12th annual Space Traffic Management conference, “Operational Assurance for All” on 18-19 February 2026, in partnership with The Aerospace Corporation. Additional support was provided by LeoLabs, NorthStar Earth & Space, Aerospace Policy Solutions LLC, Astroscale, COMSPOC, and sur l’espace.
Experts from all over the world gathered to discuss and exchange knowledge on Space Traffic. As the title suggests, space traffic includes safe access to, operations within, and return from space. This interdisciplinary conference seeks to bring together stakeholders to address critical issues: Operations, Economy, and Ecosystems.
Speakers include Aarti Holla-Maini of the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs, Mariel Borowitz of the Office of Space Commerce, Darren McKnight of LeoLabs, and Lt Col Theresa Kopecky of the US Space Force.
Agenda
Download the agenda below.
Papers
Access panelists’ papers at the link below.
Venue
The 2026 conference will be held at Bass Lecture Hall in the LBJ School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, Texas USA.
Conference Parking: Parking is challenging, so your safest bet is taking an uber/lyft.
There is limited, self-pay surface parking available nearby at: https://maps.app.goo.gl/PrRSeBN5V924zKyF9
Garage parking is available for a fee at the Manor Garage (closest garage) and the San Jacinto Garage. Parking unfortunately cannot be validated.
Key Dates
| 22 July 2025 | Call for Papers distributed |
| 10 October 2025 | Abstract deadline extended (Student papers with faculty recommendations will continue to be accepted until 1 November.) |
| 18 October 2025 | Registration opens |
| 1 November 2025 | Authors notified |
| 15 November 2025 | Preliminary program published |
| 4 February 2026 | Final papers due |
| 18-19 February 2026 | Conference |
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Abstracts — Application period closed.
Abstracts of up to 500 words are invited and must include the precise title of the paper, the topic area of interest, the author’s full name and affiliation, and complete contact information including an email address. The language of the conference is English. All abstracts must follow the STM Conference paper guidelines and the abstract template. Please send your abstracts to ali.prince@austin.utexas.edu.
We invite researchers, industry experts, policymakers, and students to submit papers for our upcoming 2026 conference — Space Traffic: Operational Assurance for All. For the purposes of this conference, we define “operational assurance” as the measures taken throughout the space traffic ecosystem — from launch and in-space operations to return — to achieve safe and efficient end-state and functions in accordance with developing norms, established policy, and requirements for all stakeholders. This interdisciplinary conference seeks to bring together stakeholder communities to address critical issues with an emphasis on three thematic areas:
Operations: Assess risks and impacts to space traffic from space debris and congestion; propose and evaluate solutions for maneuver coordination and rules of the road; analyze emerging impacts to third parties from space traffic; discuss advancements and challenges in launch and reentry operations and create innovative solutions and policies to maximize efficiency and sustainability, to include recycling and removal as well as controlled reentry; examine technical systems for regulatory compliance assessment and monitoring; and evaluate orbital use, capacity, and associated policies/metrics.
Economy: Characterize economic behavior of current space traffic and future traffic demand; delve into the emerging fields of in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing, including rendezvous and proximity operations; investigate the role of commercial space situational awareness (SSA) and space traffic coordination; explore integrated assessment models for space traffic; analyze economic impact and results of existing or potential space traffic policies; and explore the concept, viability, and path to a circular space economy.
Ecosystems: Investigate the interactions between systems and infrastructures focusing on, inter alia: spaceports, assured access to space, air/space integration, internationally federated SSA and traffic coordination, information infrastructure, cybersecurity, impacts and interoperability of legal/policy regimes with each other, as well as with technical considerations for space traffic and cislunar/deep space activities. Consider and evaluate possible dual-use approaches to space-based sensor networks in support of threats from uncontrolled reentries.
We welcome papers that present new, forward-thinking perspectives, recommendations, and proposed solutions on these topics. Please submit your abstracts and join us in shaping the future of space traffic and operational assurance for all.