Reflecting on GLEX 2025 : Shaping a Sustainable and Collaborative Future in Space
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From May 7–9, 2025, the vibrant city of New Delhi hosted the 4th Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2025), an ambitious gathering that brought together global leaders, astronauts, engineers, students, and policymakers to reflect on the progress of space exploration and to envision its future. Organized by the International
Astronautical Federation (IAF) in collaboration with ISRO and the Astronautical Society of India (ASI), the event celebrated not just technological achievements but also a growing commitment to ethics, sustainability, and inclusivity in space governance.
As the India Coordinator for Cosmos for Humanity, Aishwarya Kaushik had the honor of attending this remarkable conference, representing our NGO’s values on the global stage. Cosmos for Humanity champions the idea of space as a common good, and GLEX 2025 offered the perfect platform to advocate for that vision, one where the benefits of space are equitably shared and responsibly governed.
A Renaissance of Exploration: Shared Goals, Shared Frontiers
This year's theme, “Reaching New Worlds: A Space Exploration Renaissance,” resonated deeply with the spirit of the event. We are witnessing a profound shift, from competition to collaboration, from technological dominance to democratic dialogue, and from unregulated ambition to shared responsibility.
High-level plenaries and Global Networking Forums (GNFs) tackled a range of topics:
The importance of international cooperation, especially the growing ties between ISRO, ESA, JAXA, CSA and ASA.
The role of emerging space agencies in shaping the Global Exploration Roadmap (GER 2024), with the ISECG fostering broad participation and resilience in the space ecosystem.
A dedicated session on space law and governance, where experts debated the relevance of frameworks like the Artemis Accords and the Moon Agreement in building a peaceful and sustainable off-world future.
These conversations underscored a powerful truth: space is no longer just a scientific or strategic domain, it is a political and ethical frontier.
India in the Spotlight: A Vision for the Future
As the host nation, India showcased its remarkable progress and ambition:
The success of Chandrayaan-3, marking the first-ever landing near the Moon’s south pole.
The Gaganyaan human spaceflight mission, preparing India’s first crewed orbital mission.
Satellite docking capabilities, expanding India’s readiness for orbital infrastructure.
The announcement of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station and the milestone 100th ISRO launch.
Most notably, PM Modi’s announcement of Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla’s upcoming mission to the ISS, marking India’s return to crewed spaceflight after 40 years.
All these achievements reflect India’s rising global stature in the space community, not just as a participant but as a leader and collaborative partner.
Cosmos for Humanity: Advocating for an Ethical Space Future
At GLEX 2025, Aishwarya had the opportunity to speak with delegates, students, astronauts, and agency representatives about Cosmos for Humanity’s mission. Our advocacy for inclusive space governance, public participation in space policy, and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) found resonance across many discussions.
These conversations echoed the recent momentum our organization gained during the French National Assembly hearing on the Artemis Accords, where our President Claire Elß emphasized the need for democratic space governance rooted in general interest. That same spirit was alive at GLEX, in sessions on transparency, resource sharing, and planetary protection.
The Path Forward
GLEX 2025 reaffirmed that the future of space exploration depends not only on rockets and robotics but also on ideas, ethics, and inclusivity. The challenges ahead, from space debris to equitable access and lunar resource governance, require the active participation of civil society, NGOs, and emerging voices from all corners of the world.
Cosmos for Humanity will continue to be that voice. We will keep working to ensure that space exploration serves not just the powerful, but all of humanity.
Let’s make space a frontier for peace, cooperation, and sustainability, together
