IAC, Space for @ll
Paris 2022, 18-22 September

IAC Paris Expo, Plenary event, Porte de Versailles

This year's IAC was special! And not only because it took place in a wonderful city, which is Paris. This year Lunex EuroMoonMars was an active player, both in the technical sessions and in the exhibition area. In fact, for the first time we were able to set up our own booth, thanks to the collaboration with several partners, including: Space Renaissance International, MMAARS, Mark Yaeger's Origin, EuroSpaceHub and ITACCUS. The technical sessions featured a number of results and presentations by our contributors and friends, including those of Bernard Foing, Celia Avila-Rauch, Agata Kołodziejczyk, William Dobney & the EMMPOL Crews, Anouk Ehreiser, Roxana Perrier, Ghanim Alotaibi and many others. During the week we attended events, presentations and gatherings that both inspired and updated us on the advancements in space research all round. A unique opportunity to learn, gain fascination and stay up-to-date. There were also numerous opportunities for networking, from "industry breakfasts" to cocktail events and soirees. Our team has been busy all week seeking for new potential partners and contacts. We also had some very interesting conversations with some astronauts! It was a real privilege for us to spend some time with them while hearing their stories about their adventures in Space.

IAC entrance at Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles

EuroMoonMars President, Team & students with ISU President Pascale Ehrenfreund and JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide

EuroMoonMars President, Team & students with ESA Astronaut Matthias Maurer

IAC Paris, EuroMoonMars and Space Renaissance Collaborators with ESA friends and colleagues at the Exhibition Area

Shared logo with the booth partners for IAC22 (Designed by S. Crotti, EuroMoonMars)

Our booth: D11B

Having a dedicated area in which we could showcase our ongoing work was an incredible achievement. The challenge was to condense a large number of outcomes, initiatives, and collaborators into just... 9 square meters of space! After all, it was a bit like being in a spaceship: small volumes, coexistence in confined quarters, and lots of equipment needed to work "on board"! However, at the conclusion of IAC, we can now say: mission accomplished! Our booth was a vibrant and action-packed place throughout the entire week of IAC, September 18-22. It was not only a showplace for the partners involved, but also a real stage, which attracted visitors, students and space lovers towards itself.

During the week of the IAC, our booth was a meeting point for the communities of the partners involved. The EuroMoonMars Communications Team organized activities, lectures, interviews and meetings with guests from various organizations. Speakers who presented their research and work at our booth with lectures and demos included: Bernard Foing (Lunex EuroMoonMars and SRI President), Adriano Autino (Space Renaissance International), Susan Jewell (MMAARS and Space Renaissance International), Agata Kołodziejczyk (Analog Astronaut Training Center and EuroMoonMars), Roxana Perrier (IPSA and EuroMoonMars), Leonardo Barilaro ("The Space Pianist", performing "Maleth"), Eleonore Poli (Astroland), Ghanim AlOtaibi (MVA, PESC, AATC), Marc Heemskerk (ICEE.Space). During the week we also had the chance to organize some interviews with special guests! We interviewed two analog astronauts, Kiran Gautam and Sarah Solbiati, about their experience on EMMPOL missions at the Analog Astronaut Training Center in Poland. The EuroMoonMars Communications team also had the great privilege of interviewing an astronaut from a very special analogue: Diego Urbina, from the MARS 500 crew! If you are curious to see the lectures and interviews we recorded, check out the ILEWG EuroMoonMars YouTube channel .We have prepared two playlists dedicated to IAC week! Special thanks to all the guests who participated in our booth activities and to our partners.

Gatherings at our booth for networking cocktail events

Lander and rover at our booth were used for on site demos

Promotional merchandise designed with partners' logos for IAC22! Pins, stickers and t-shirts… “for @ll!”

The best accomplishments are those that are done in good company! Here are some representatives from the different partners involved in the booth: Adriano Autino and Sabine Heinz from SRI, with Susan and Emmy Jewells from MMAARS

We have always believed that Space is not only for scientists, but also an inspiration for art and culture. Among our partners were like-minded people: Hollywood composer Marc Yaeger, whose Origin project combines music and Space; and the ITACCUS committee, which is active in all areas of the arts and humanities, including the fine arts, entertainment, popular culture and tourism. Also, the ArtMoonMars program was represented at our booth, with some artworks and prototypes from the MoonGallery project. Every day from 5.30pm to 6.30pm we organized networking moments in music, thanks to our partners who put themselves on the line to attract audience at our booth. After all, we believe that the most interesting conversations happen with a drink in your hands and a relaxed atmosphere around.