About this Event
Get ready for ASTRA Workshop 2026, an exciting in-person event bringing together the next generation of space leaders, innovators, researchers, and changemakers!
Join us on October 8, 2026, at 8:30 AM ET at the Jim W. Henderson Administration and Welcome Center for a day focused on the future of Artificial Intelligence, Space Technology, Robotics, and Aerospace.
ASTRA is where big ideas meet real-world innovation. This workshop will connect students, industry professionals, government representatives, researchers, policy leaders, startups, sponsors, and community partners for conversations about the future of space exploration, sustainability, autonomy, national security, commercial space, and emerging aerospace technology.
Through engaging speaker sessions, dynamic panels, networking opportunities, and student-focused programming, attendees will have the chance to learn from leaders across the space sector, build meaningful connections, and explore how AI, robotics, policy, and aerospace innovation are shaping the next frontier. Whether you are a student looking to break into the space industry, a professional interested in the future of space technology, a company hoping to connect with emerging talent, or a community partner invested in Florida’s growing space ecosystem, ASTRA Workshop 2026 is your opportunity to be part of the conversation.
Come connect, collaborate, and help shape a smarter, more sustainable, and more exciting future in space!
View our event website here: https://sites.google.com/view/astra-workshop-2026/home
Day 1 Agenda
Day 1
Registration & Coffee
Opening Remarks: Why ASTRA, Why ERAU, Why Now?
Host: Kyah Adams
Panel 1: Artificial Intelligence for Space Operations
Host: Amit Jain
Morning Coffee & Networking Break
Technical Session SSA, Digital Twins, Robotics, and Decision Support for Space
Host: Satlyt, Rama Afullo
Launch Is Not Solved: We Built the Future— But Can We Get It to Space?
Host: Kyra Jorgensen
Operating in a Crowded Orbit: Space Traffic, SSA, and Future Space Operations
Host: Hang Woon Lee
Beyond the Flight: Science, Discovery, the Future of Commercial Space
Host: Robert Ferl
Afternoon Coffee & Networking Break
Panel 3: Commercial Space, Startups, and Innovation Pathways
Host: Cassie Lee
Career and Workforce Session: Building the Future Aerospace Workforce
Host: Burt Dicht
Space Needs a Translator Communication, Commercialization, the Next Generation
Host: Camille Bergin
🕑: 05:30 PM - 06:30 PM
Optional Lab/ Campus Tours
Day 2 Agenda
Day 2
Doors Open, Morning Coffee Social
Day 2 Welcome: Technology to Responsible Innovation
Sustainable Space Operations in a Congested and Competitive Environment
Host: Tim Chrisman
Panel 4: Space Policy, Governance, the Future Regulatory Environment
Host: Kim Kendall
Morning Coffee & Networking Break
Panel 5: Space Robotics, Autonomy, and Future Space Systems
Host: Robert Katz
Lunch Break & Student Research Showcase
Panel 6: Resilient Space Operations and Operational Challenges
Host: Matthew Reinhart
Engineering the Mission: Lessons from a Year in Aerospace Innovation
Host: Travis Hobbs
Afternoon Coffee & Networking Break
Always More to Learn: Leadership, Curiosity, and the Next Era of Space
Host: Sierra Calhoun-Pollard
Student Awards & Final Remarks
Event venue & nearby stays
Jim W Henderson Administration and Welcome Center, 600 South Clyde Morris Boulevard, Daytona Beach, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.