UAH to host third annual Business of Space Conference March 1-3

The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) College of Business (COB) will host the third annual Business of Space Conference March 1-3 on the campus of UAH, a part of The University of Alabama System. Space industry professionals from across the nation will gather to explore how the flourishing space economy is moving beyond Earth while staying within reach of today’s markets and institutions.

Registration runs through Feb. 26, and the cost is $575. Discounted rates are available for those who register by Feb. 9, and special rates are available for National Space Club members, Space Force Association members, federal government employees and UAH faculty, staff and students.

The conference aims to foster collaboration between researchers and space industry stakeholders to shape the future of academic and policy research. Attendees will engage in keynotes and collaborative discussions that tackle real business, economic and policy challenges of this rapidly growing sector, bridging research and industry to scale sustainable space-enabled ventures.

Keynote addresses will feature Greg Autry, associate provost for space commercialization and strategy at The University of Central Florida, and Andrew Aldrin, CEO and president of the Aldrin Family Foundation.

Autry will explore strategies for leveraging government budgets to catalyze self-sustaining private space markets while also harnessing private capital to advance national civil and military space objectives. Aldrin will examine why past efforts to commercialize space failed and why the current moment may be different.

Dr. Wafa Hakim Orman, conference planning committee chair, COB associate dean and associate professor of economics, says that the commercial space industry is growing quickly, but faces challenges as it scales.

“Projects are expensive; mission volumes are limited and the timelines for development and return on investment often exceed what traditional financing models can support. Risk management, insurance, contracting and supply chain capacity all remain evolving pieces of the commercial space economy,” she says. “This conference will bring together the stakeholders who can solve these problems – industry, government agencies, investors and researchers.”

Bringing industry and academic voices together benefits both, says Dr. Ravi Patnayakuni, conference planning committee chair and associate professor of information systems:

“For those in industry, the conference offers a window into some of the research and policy frameworks making their way through academia that could well dictate the next decade of the space economy. It is an opportunity to influence the academic agenda, ensuring that future research addresses the real-world bottlenecks companies face today. For those in academia, this event provides a vital reality check against the logistical, regulatory and economic hurdles of the private sector.”

Alabama is a national leader in the aerospace economy, ranking among the top five states for aerospace engineers and hosting more than 300 aerospace companies from 30 countries, including Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and United Launch Alliance. At the heart of this ecosystem is UAH, a research institution located in Cummings Research Park, where close industry partnerships drive continued aerospace innovation.

The Business of Space Conference is another way the UAH College of Business fulfills its mission, notes Dr. Jason Greene, dean of the college.

“By bringing together industry leaders, researchers, policymakers and students right here in the Rocket City, we are not just discussing the future of space commerce, we are actively partnering with our community to fuel the innovations and spark the ideas that will shape the growing space sector in the future.”

To learn more about the Business of Space Conference and to register, visit opce.uah.edu/BusinessofSpace.