The International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2025 in Sydney provided a unique opportunity to get a closer look at the world of the space industry. For the 76th time, thousands of experts, researchers and technology leaders from around the world met – from manufacturers of satellites, rockets and launch systems to teams pushing the boundaries of data processing directly in space or expanding the possibilities of remote Earth exploration.
“Although YMS is not directly involved in hardware production, knowledge about trends in data analytics, sensor miniaturization, and new opportunities for our clients is of great importance to us. These directions pave the way for cheaper and more accurate data collection, which is one of the foundations for our solutions,” says Radovan Hilbert, YMS Business Development Director, who represented us in the Slovak team of several companies focused on space technologies.
Participation in such a huge global event will leave a mark not only on a person’s professional view of their work and on the company’s involvement in the spiral of technological progress of man in the world, but also on all human senses. “In two weeks, I went through the entire cycle of emotions, from the initial euphoria and enthusiasm for everything, including a ten-centimeter cockroach running down the street, through rational observation and absorption of information, to the conclusion that at the end of the day, we all face challenges, no matter where we are. They bother us, they drive us crazy until we solve them, which always moves us one step further,” adds Radovan Hilbert.
Inspiration, discussions and sharing of approaches to solving challenges
The congress was an exceptional, world-class platform for inspiring meetings – whether with potential partners, customers or academic institutions.
Radovan Hilbert continues: “I have talked with several colleagues in the space industry about the use of satellite data in agriculture and forestry, about mapping drought-humidity cycles or predicting vegetation trends. Particularly interesting for me was the long discussion with the Australian team dedicated to fire and fire risk management, where we compared their approach with our European experience from the FalconGuard project. Common challenges – climate change, spreading fires, the need for rapid response – confirm that the solutions we are developing have global significance. Such exchanges of knowledge push innovation in both directions.”
The company of a group of Slovak participants and partners was also inspiring, with whom new ideas for cooperation were sparked. IAC 2025 thus became a place where international networking was combined with building a domestic technological community. Interviews with universities and research centers confirmed that education and the connection of the academic and application worlds remain the key to sustainable innovation. The result of the time dedicated to discussions about the possibilities for the YMS Academy and its future international partnerships are concrete contacts and impulses that we can translate into practice.
School of practice in meeting the land and people
In addition to the work program, Australia also brought the opportunity to get to know the country from a perspective that is often missed by the average tourist. The journey across the south coast – from Sydney to Melbourne – showed a unique approach to how the country combines the requirements for economy and nature conservation. Seeing extensive intensive pastures, access to water management or fire risk management directly in the field was a practical lesson in itself. Meetings with local farmers, scientists and land managers provided a new perspective on the connection between technology and nature. The Australian experience thus complemented the professional part of the congress with an authentic picture of a country that is also facing climate change and must adapt to it.
International Astronautical Congress IAC 2025 in Sydney – main page.
