Cosmic Origins
9 March 2026
27-28 May 2026
Washington, DC
Registration is Now Open for NASA’s Innovation for Astrophysics Missions Workshop!
https://nexsci.caltech.edu/conferences/2026/innovation2026
May 27th-28th, 2026
Hopkins Bloomberg Center
555 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, D.C.
Astronomers have bold goals for the coming decades: to search for life on Earth-like planets orbiting nearby stars, understand how galaxies, stars, and planets came to be, and probe the fundamental physics of the Universe. The landscape of space science and exploration that enables these ambitious goals is transforming rapidly. Commercially developed spacecraft and launch capabilities are accelerating mission timelines and reducing costs, new public-private partnerships are emerging, and the Artemis program is creating fresh opportunities to do astrophysics from platforms on the Moon and in cislunar space.
This workshop will bring together experts and visionaries from NASA, the space industry, other government agencies, non-profits, and the scientific community to reimagine what’s possible in this new landscape. The workshop will explore:
Commercial capabilities for missions of all sizes
Innovative partnerships
New development pathways that deliver science faster and more affordably
Science opportunities within the Moon-to-Mars architecture
Registration | The registration will close on April 15 https://cosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/innovation2026/registration.php
There is no registration fee for this workshop. This workshop will be in-person only; therefore, total attendance will be subject to the space constraints of the venue. We estimate that roughly 100 attendees can be accommodated. Registration does not guarantee attendance. The registration site will close on April 15, and the Organizing Committee will review all registrations and contact accepted attendees the week of April 20, 2026.
Agenda | The preliminary agenda can be found here: https://nexsci.caltech.edu/conferences/2026/innovation2026/agenda.shtml
Lodging | A limited number of rooms will be held at local hotels with varying price points. Please check back soon for hotel reservation links.
We welcome multi-disciplinary participation by technologists, commercial innovators, policymakers, and scientists. Expect engaging panel discussions and plenty of time for collaboration and networking. We envision this workshop as the beginning of a conversation that will help shape inputs to the next Astrophysics Decadal Survey and the future of astrophysics missions at all scales.
More details — including workshop venue, registration, preliminary agenda, and hotel information — can be found here: https://nexsci.caltech.edu/conferences/2026/innovation2026/
Let’s build the future of astrophysics together! Join our email list! Or contact us at [email protected].
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