Kazakhstan has launched Space Days 2025, a landmark international forum in Almaty that gathers astronauts, scientists, policymakers, and investors from across the globe to debate the future of space technology, education, and cooperation.
Almaty, Kazakhstan – The future of space exploration is being written not only in Houston or Paris, but in the steppes of Central Asia. With the launch of Space Days Kazakhstan 2025, Almaty has become the temporary capital of the global space community — a gathering where astronauts, scientists, entrepreneurs, and policymakers sit side by side to imagine humanity’s next steps beyond Earth.
A meeting of minds
The forum opened with a blend of technical depth and symbolic resonance. Workshops on satellite modelling, geospatial data, and project management attracted students and young engineers, while a photo exhibition honoured Talgat Musabayev, Kazakhstan’s pioneering cosmonaut. In packed lecture halls, specialists like Dr. Muhammad Sharif of ICESCO and Kozhayev Kaiyrzhan of Kazakhstan’s national space company spoke not just of technologies, but of responsibility — how satellites and space data can be harnessed for education, disaster response, and sustainable development.
For many delegates, the event is as much about building bridges as it is about hardware. A roundtable on space investment drew bankers and innovators from Kazakhstan, the UAE, and Europe, underlining that space today is no longer the sole preserve of states.
“We need partnerships that cross both borders and industries,” said one speaker, “because no single country can tackle the challenges of space alone.”
Voices from orbit
If the first day belonged to scientists and entrepreneurs, the second day belonged to those who have actually left the planet. The panel “Space Unites: A View from Orbit” brought together legends like Toktar Aubakirov and Aidyn Aimbetov from Kazakhstan, Russia’s Anton Shkaplerov and Sergey Volkov, and Romania’s Dumitru-Dorin Prunariu. Their stories — of launches, risks, and the fragile beauty of Earth seen from orbit — reminded the audience why the space dream continues to inspire new generations.
“We may fly under different flags,” said Prunariu, “but in orbit there are no borders. Space is the most powerful reminder that cooperation is not optional — it is survival.”
Technology and ambition
Kazakhstan used the forum not only to listen but to show ambition. Panels on satellite manufacturing, communications, and navigation featured heavyweights such as Peter Fossel of HydroSat, Dr. Sunghee Lee of Contec, and Vugar Bayramov of Azercosmos. Much of the discussion circled around how quickly the industry is shifting — from state-led missions to agile private ventures, from bulky satellites to nimble constellations, and from exploration for prestige to applications that touch daily life.
Kazakhstan, once best known for Baikonur, now wants to brand itself as a hub for 21st-century space partnerships. Proposals for a new international spaceport and an “astro-hub” at the Assy-Turgen Observatory signal that the country sees its future not only as a launchpad for others, but as a partner in research, data, and innovation.
Beyond the conference hall
Unlike many global forums, Space Days Kazakhstan doesn’t end in lecture theatres. Delegates will travel to the Assy Plateau for a hands-on visit to one of Central Asia’s most advanced observatories. And at Baikonur, participants will witness a Soyuz rocket roar into the night sky — a reminder of Kazakhstan’s unique place in space history and its ongoing role in shaping what comes next.
A bridge between worlds
For organisers, the symbolism is clear: Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a bridge — between East and West, between tradition and innovation, between those who remember Gagarin’s launch and those who dream of Mars.
“Space knows no boundaries,” one keynote speaker told the audience. “And neither should cooperation.”
As the conversations in Almaty unfold, one thing is certain: Kazakhstan is no longer just a stage for others’ missions. It is writing itself into the story of space exploration, not at the margins, but at the centre of global dialogue.
A large fire at the import cargo complex of Dhaka airport has caused significant damage to goods and materials belonging to key garment exporters, wit...
The Orenburg gas processing plant, the world's largest facility of its kind, has been forced to halt its intake of gas from Kazakhstan following a Ukr...
Israel launched air strikes and artillery fire on Gaza on Sunday, in what officials called a response to militant attacks, as the U.S.-mediated ceasef...
The Louvre Museum in Paris was closed on Sunday after thieves broke in and stole “priceless” jewellery from the Napoleon collection, the French go...
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy said he is not afraid of going to prison, days before beginning a five-year sentence over his 2007 campaign fi...
A large fire at the import cargo complex of Dhaka airport has caused significant damage to goods and materials belonging to key garment exporters, with losses and impacts on trade potentially amounting to millions of dollars, according to industry leaders on Sunday.
The Orenburg gas processing plant, the world's largest facility of its kind, has been forced to halt its intake of gas from Kazakhstan following a Ukrainian drone strike, according to Kazakhstan's energy ministry.
Israel launched air strikes and artillery fire on Gaza on Sunday, in what officials called a response to militant attacks, as the U.S.-mediated ceasefire came under renewed strain.
This September, I had a chance to visit Yerevan for the 108th edition of the Rose-Roth seminar, traditionally held by the NATO Parliamentary Assembly since 1990 and intended for post-socialist countries.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
Apple has pledged to increase its investment in China despite ongoing tensions between Washington and Beijing, CEO Tim Cook said during a meeting with China’s industry minister.
SpaceX launched its 11th Starship from Texas on 13 October, landing in the Indian Ocean ahead of testing an upgraded version for future moon and Mars missions.
From Sunday, all non-EU citizens, including British visitors, will face new biometric checks when entering and exiting the European Union under its long-delayed Entry/Exit System (EES).
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced that the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa of Kyoto University, Richard Robson of the University of Melbourne, and Omar Yaghi of the University of California.
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis for their groundbreaking discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunnelling and energy quantisation in electric circuits.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment