ANTALYA, Türkiye, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- The 77th International Astronautical Congress kicked off Monday in Antalya, Türkiye's Mediterranean resort city, gathering space leaders, researchers and industry representatives from across the globe.
Held for the first time in Türkiye, the five-day event runs until Friday under the theme "The World Needs More Space."
The event features sessions addressing some of the industry's key priorities, ranging from lunar exploration and satellite systems to artificial intelligence, space security and international cooperation.
During an opening address, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that turning space into an arms race is wrong and dangerous.
"Space is not a prize to be claimed by whoever gets there first," he said, urging global cooperation to keep space peaceful, safe and sustainable.
Organized annually by the International Astronautical Federation, the congress serves as a major platform for scientific exchange, business contacts and discussions on the development of the global space sector.
According to the semi-official Anadolu Agency, the congress has received 8,330 research abstracts from 108 countries and regions, with more than 4,000 studies selected for presentation in over 180 technical sessions. ■
