The SRI 4th World Congress Program – Sessions and Panels
DAY 1 – 30 JUNE 2026
SESSION: Opening
Chair: Robert Katz, Moderator: Dr. Gülin Dede [30 JUNE 2026 – 13:00 UTC / 15:00 CEST / 9:00am US East]
| speaker | time (UTC) | |
 | Bernard Foing, Space Renaissance International, President | 13:00 UTC |
 | Frank White Space philosopher and author | 13:08 UTC |
 | Johann-Dietrich (Jan) WörnerFormer Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA) from 2015 to 2021 | 13:16 UTC |
 | Gabriella Arrigo, Director of International Affairs at Italian Space Agency (ASI), current president of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF). | 13:24 UTC |
 | Prof. Gregg Li is the founding Chairman and current President of the Orion Astropreneur Space Academy (OASA) in Hong Kong | 13:32 UTC |
 | Paul Werbos, National Space Society Board | 13:40 UTC |
 | Rick Tumlinson, co-founded the Space Frontier Foundation and SpaceFund to promote the commercialization and settlement of space. | 13:48 UTC |
 | Dr. Robert Zubrin is President and Founder of The Mars Society. | 13:56 UTC |
 | Prof. Sergio Marchisio, leading expert in international space law. Chairman of the European Centre for Space Law (ECSL) at ESA. | 14:04 UTC |
 | Isaac Arthur, science educator and futurist, President of the National Space Society (NSS). | 14:12 UTC |
 | Sam Coniglio is a board member and former Vice President of the Space Tourism Society (STS). | 14:20 UTC |
 | Dr. Joseph N. Pelton, Dean Emeritus of the International Space University, Chairman of the Alliance for Collaboration in the Exploration of Space (ACES Worldwide) | 14:28 UTC |
 | Eligar (Eli) Sadeh, Ph.D., CEO and Founder of Astroconsulting International LLC and the Astropolitics Institute | 14:36 UTC |
 | Gary Barnhard, Vice President of the Moon Village Association and Director of Strategic Relationships for the National Space Society. | 14:44 UTC |
 | Giuseppe Reibaldi, co-founder and President of the Moon Village Association (MVA). | 14:52 UTC |
 | Haroon Oqab, President and CEO of the Kepler Space Institute (KSI), President and CEO of the Kepler Space University. | 15:00 UTC |
 | Steve Wolfe, President and Co-Founder of the Beyond Earth Institute. | 15:08 UTC |
 | Madhu Thangavelu, North American coordinator for the Moon Village Association. National Space Society Board. American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Advisory Board member . | 15:16 UTC |
 | Michelle Hanlon, Former President of the National Space Society. Co-founder and CEO of For All Moonkind. | 15:24 UTC |
| adjourn | 15:40 UTC |
SESSION: Status of Civilization and Quality of Life
Chair: Adriano V. Autino, Moderator: Robert Katz [30 JUNE 2026 – 15:40 UTC / 17:40 CEST / 11:40am US East]
| speaker | paper | time (UTC) | |
 | Adriano V. Autino, SRI CEO & Founder, et Al | SRIC4 Thesis 1 - Status of civilization and quality of life | 15:40 UTC |
| Steve Wolfe | From Lunar Base to a Lunar Economy | 16:00 UTC |
 | Alberto Cavallo SRI Co-founder | A Critique of Maslow’s Motivation Theory with Special Reference to Human Expansion into Space | 16:10 UTC |
 | Elinah Chanda | Stolen Minds: Why Environmental Justice is the Foundation of Quality of Life | 16:20 UTC |
 | Alastair Browne | How Mining Resources in Space Can Put an End to Resource Wars on Earth | 16:30 UTC |
 | Veronica Chiaravalli | Civilization-Building Intelligence: What Humans Must Become on the Path to Two Worlds | 16:40 UTC |
| Thesis 1 final discussion | 16:50 UTC | ||
| adjourn | 17:10 UTC |
SESSION: Space Renaissance International organization, structure and planning
Chair: Dr. Gülin Dede. Moderator: Adriano V. Autino [30 JUNE 2026 – 17:10 UTC / 19:10 CEST / 1:10pm US East]
| speaker | paper | time (UTC) | |
 | Dr. Gülin Dede | THESIS 2: A STRATEGY FOR THE NEXT PHASE OF THE SPACE RENAISSANCE Paving the way forward for Sustainable Civilian Space Development, Education, and Institutional Growth | 17:10 UTC |
| Bernard Foing, SRI President | SRI Highlights | 17:30 UTC |
 | Enes Beşli | Strengthening the Public Presence of Space Renaissance International | 17:40 UTC |
| Bernard Foing, SRI President | Space Renaissance Partners | 17:50 UTC |
| Bernard Foing, SRI President | Candidacy for SRI President | 18:00 UTC |
| Thesis 2 final discussion | 18:10 UTC | ||
| adjourn | 18:20 UTC |
DAY 2 – 1 JULY 2026
SESSION: Space Philosophy & History
Chair: Dr. Marie-Luise Heuser, Moderator: Robert Katz [1 JULY 2026 – 13:00 UTC / 15:00 CEST / 9:00am US East]
SESSION: Space Policy
Chair: Eligar Sadeh, Moderator: Robert Katz [1 JULY 2026 – 14:00 UTC / 16:00 CEST / 10:00am US East]
SESSION: Space 18th SDG Coalition
Chair: Dr. Gülin Dede, Moderator: Robert Katz [1 JULY 2026 – 15:20 UTC / 17:20 CEST / 11:20am US East]
| speaker | paper | time (UTC) | |
| Adriano V. Autino | A Space focused 18th SDG, Space for All, on Earth and Beyond | 15:20 UTC |
| Veronica Chiaravalli | The Digital Bird Must Fly: Why the 18th SDG Needs Freedom from Agenda 2030 | 15:30 UTC |
 | Amalie Sinclair | 18thSDG a holistic rationale | 15:40 UTC |
| Amalie Sinclair | Perspective for an 18thSDG working group | 15:50 UTC |
| adjourn | 16:00 UTC |
PANEL: Lunar Astropolitics
Chair: Eligar Sadeh [1 JULY 2026 – 15:50 UTC / 17:50 CEST / 11:50am US East]
The Lunar Astropolitics panel will focus on military, civil, and commercial aspects of cislunar space and will discuss relevant
strategic, political, legal, and economic factors.
 | Eligar Sadeh (Panel Moderator) | Aerospace Professional, Consultant, Educator, TEDx Speaker, Astropolitics https://www.linkedin.com/in/eligarsadeh |
 | Dr. Ulpia Elena Botezatu | Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultation of UNCOPUOS, Critical Infrastructures and Cybersecurity, Space Security Policy, Space Law. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ulpia-elena-botezatu |
 | Dr. Aurélie Tru | Researcher, Lecturer and Adviser, Space Policy and International Relations, International Space University. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-aur%C3%A9lie-trur |
 | Leonard David | Space journalist for over 50 years, Space.com, and author of "Moon Rush: The New Space Race." https://www.leonarddavid.com |
| Alberto Cavallo (SRI Co-founder) | Expert of Energy Industry, scholar of Philosophy, SRI Board member |
PANEL: A Ban on Space Weapons
Chair: Dr. Gülin Dede, Moderator: Robert Katz [1 JULY 2026 – 16:50 UTC / 18:50 CEST / 12:50pm US East]
This panel will address one of the most urgent questions facing the future of outer space activities: whether humanity can preserve outer space as a domain for peaceful, cooperative, and civilian development before conflict logic becomes normalized beyond Earth.
The discussion will focus on the question of banning space weapons. It will explore the challenges of dual-use ambiguity, existing legal gaps, strategic escalation, debris-generating actions, and the vulnerability of space infrastructure on which societies increasingly depend.
The panel will bring together legal, astropolitical, space-security, treaty-interpretation, astronaut, and Space Renaissance perspectives.
 | Dorin Prunariu | Romanian Space Agency, COPUOS ATLAC founder From an astronaut’s perspective, why should outer space be protected as a human environment and a domain of peaceful cooperation? |
 | Dennis O'Brien | Space Law expert What does the existing international legal framework already provide regarding weapons, military activity, and peaceful uses of outer space, and where are the most important gaps? |
| Joe Pelton | Dean Emeritus, ISU. ACES World-wide, President What would space weaponization mean for the orbital environment, satellite infrastructure, debris, space situational awareness, space trafKic management, and long-term operability? |
 | Wes Faires | Space Law expert Where do ambiguities in the Outer Space Treaty framework become critical when civilian, commercial, and security-related space capabilities overlap? |
| Alberto Cavallo | SRI, co-Founder From the Space Renaissance perspective, why is preventing weapons in space essential for peaceful civil expansion and the future of human civilization? |
| Eligar Sadeh | Astropolitics expert How should we understand space weapons and dual-use systems in today’s astropolitical environment, and what escalation risks arise from them? |
DAY 3 – 2 JULY 2026
SESSION: Living in Space
Chair: JoePelton, Moderator: Robert Katz [2 JULY 2026 – 13:00 UTC / 15:00 CEST / 09:00am US East]
SESSION: Space Habitats
Chair: Jerry Stone, Moderator: Robert Katz [2 JULY 2026 – 15:00 UTC / 17:00 CEST / 11:00am US East]
PANEL: Space 18th SDG
Chair: Dr. Gülin Dede. Moderator: Robert Katz [2 JULY 2026 – 16:00 UTC / 18:00 CEST / 12:00am US East]
This panel will address one of the central questions facing sustainable development in the space age: how outer space can be made visible within the global sustainability framework.
Space is no longer only a future frontier. It already functions as critical infrastructure for climate monitoring, disaster risk reduction, connectivity, navigation, education, environmental management, and long-term planetary resilience, while also opening a horizon for new industrial development beyond Earth. The 18th SDG proposal frames space through a dual lens: as an enabler of sustainable development on Earth and as an environment requiring stewardship as human activity expands beyond Earth.
The discussion will focus on Space 18th SDG as a way to bring these dimensions together under the theme “Space for All, on Earth and Beyond.” It will explore how space already serves societies on Earth, how it can support more inclusive development, and how humanity can approach activities beyond Earth responsibly.
The panel will bring together leading experts and practitioners to discuss how the Space 18th SDG can make space more visible within the global sustainability framework and advance the vision of “Space for All, on Earth and Beyond.”
 | Dr. Gülin Dede | Chair of the Space 18th SDG Coalition, SRI, Director of Partnerships Why does the Space 18th SDG matter now, and how can it make space visible within the global sustainability framework? |
| Frank White | Human Space Program, Founder How can the Overview Effect help humanity understand Earth as one interconnected system, and why is this perspective important for a sustainability vision that includes outer space? |
 | Robert Katz | World Innovation Network, CEO How can innovation networks help connect people, institutions, educators, entrepreneurs and civil society around the Space 18th SDG vision? |
| Gary Barnard | President & CEO Xtraordinary Innovative Space Partnerships What kinds of partnerships are needed to make “Space for All, on Earth and Beyond” practical, and how can space partnerships support more inclusive development and opportunity, especially as human activity expands toward cislunar space, habitats and long-term space infrastructure? |
 | Ammar Jaffri | Director / CEO SDGs Academy of Pakistan How can the Space 18th SDG speak to existing SDG communities, education networks, youth, developing countries and communities that may not yet see themselves as part of the space future? |
 | Henk Rogers | International MoonBase Alliance, Founder How can the transition toward a sustainable civilization on Earth be connected with the longerterm vision of responsible human activity beyond Earth, and what does “Space for All, on Earth and Beyond” mean from the perspective of planetary resilience, clean energy and future settlements? |
SESSION: Target Young Generations
Chair: Ghanim Alotaibi, Moderator: Enes Beşli [2 JULY 2026 – 17:12 UTC / 19:12 CEST / 01:12pm US East]
| speaker | paper | time (UTC) | |
 | Miracle Chibuzor Marcel | The Pan-African Citizen Science e-Laboratory Project | 17:00 UTC |
 | Ayah Othman | The Role of Space Expansion in Determining 21st Century Life Quality | 17:10 UTC |
 | Poojan Chanyiara | Beyond Survival: A Governance Framework for the Cultural Continuity and Political Autonomy of Space Settlers | 17:20 UTC |
| adjourn | 17:30 UTC |
SESSION: SCI-FI & Future Narrative
Chair: Adriano V. Autino, Moderator: Enes Beşli [2 JULY 2026 – 17:45 UTC / 19:45 CEST / 01:45pm US East]
| speaker | paper | time (UTC) | |
| Adriano V. Autino | Is Universe a Dark Forest? | 17:30 UTC |
 | Cheryl Gallagher | Global Cultural Implications in the Age of Disclosure | 17:40 UTC |
 | Victoria Ustimenko | Does modern science fiction have a role in accelerating civilian space development? | 17:50 UTC |
| final discussion | 18:00 UTC | ||
| adjourn | 18:10 UTC |
DAY 4 – 3 JULY 2026
SESSION: Space Tech & Industry
Chair: Werner Grandl, Moderator: Alberto Cavallo [3 JULY 2026 – 13:00 UTC / 15:00 CEST / 09:00am US East]
PANEL: Funding life protection in space research
Chair: Joe Pelton, Moderator: Adriano V. Autino [3 JULY 2026 – 15:50 UTC / 17:50 CEST / 11:50am US East]
| Joe Pelton | Dean Emeritus, ISU. ACES World-wide, President |
 | Alessandro Bartoloni | AMS Team Leader at CERN and INFN Rome |
 | James Green | Former Chief Scientist At NASA |
 | Tommaso Sgobba | International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS) |
 | Adriano V. Autino | SRI, CEO & Founder |
SESSION: Space Renaissance 4 All Gallery
Chairs: Bernard Foing, Robert Katz [3 JULY 2026 – 16:50 UTC / 18:50 CEST / 12:50pm US East]
| speaker | paper | time (UTC) | |
| Cheryl Gallagher | Current Trends and Advancing Technologies in Space Art | 16:50 UTC |
 | Guy Pignolet | Cooking-up-APAS-cakes-for-a-Peaceful-Development-of-Space-Habitat | 17:00 UTC |
| Bernard Foing | Space Renaissance 4 All Gallery | 17:10 UTC |
| Gülin Dede | From Orbit to Exhibition: Developing the Space Renaissance 4 All Gallery as an Art, Media, and Outreach Platform | 17:20 UTC |
| final discussion | 17:30 UTC | ||
| adjourn | 17:40 UTC |
DAY 5 – 4 JULY 2026
SESSION: Closing Ceremony [4 JULY 2026 – 13:00 UTC]
SESSION: Voting and Final Resolution [4 JULY 2026 – 13:30 UTC]
END OF WORKS: 16:00 UTC