Russian Space Forum (RSF’26)

The Russian Space Forum took place on 9 April 2026, in conjunction with Russian Cosmonautics Day and the upcoming 65th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s historic flight on 12 April 1961. The Forum brought together representatives from government, industry, and the scientific community to discuss the evolving global space landscape and the future of international cooperation in space exploration.

A key session titled “The Future of Human Spaceflight: New Orbital Stations and Formats of Cooperation” was held as part of the Forum, focusing on the transition from the International Space Station to a new generation of national and commercial orbital platforms. The discussion highlighted the emergence of a new architecture for human spaceflight, in which both independent capabilities and international cooperation will play a defining role.

IAF Executive Director Christian Feichtinger moderated this panel which brought together distinguished experts and representatives from Belarus, South Africa, India, Kazakhstan, and the Russian Federation, reflecting the global and inclusive nature of the dialogue.

In line with the IAF mission - to promote dialogue and cooperation among all space actors worldwide without limits, exclusions, or discrimination - the discussion emphasized that international collaboration remains essential, even as space agencies and emerging actors develop national and commercial orbital infrastructures.

Speakers highlighted that the transition from the International Space Station era does not signal the end of cooperation, but rather the beginning of new formats of partnership. These include joint scientific experiments, compatible docking systems, coordinated astronaut training, and cross-flight opportunities between different orbital platforms.