Pascale EHRENFREUND
IAF Bureau • IAF past President
President of Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) • President
Born in 1960, Prof. Pascale Ehrenfreund obtained degrees in Astronomy and Biology at the University of Vienna. She was appointed as a Fellow of the European Space Agency (ESA) at the Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands, upon completion of her doctoral studies. Between 2001 and 2005, Pascale Ehrenfreund held a professorship in Astrobiology at the University of Amsterdam and the University of Leiden, where she remains a Visiting Professor today. In addition, between 2005 and 2008 she was a Distinguished Visiting Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, USA. Since three decades she contributed as Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator and Teamleader to ESA and NASA astronomy and planetary missions as well as experiments in low Earth orbit and on the International Space Station. In 2008 Pascale Ehrenfreund obtained a Master of Arts in Management and Leadership. Since then, she has been Professor of Space Policy and International Affairs at the Elliott School of International Affairs, George Washington University. She was the President of the Austrian Science Fund (2013-2015) and the Chair of the Executive Board of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) between 2015-2020. The asteroid “9826 Ehrenfreund 2114 T-3” bears her name.
Pascale Ehrenfreund, took up duty as IAF President at the IAC 2019 and announced her IAF Global Advocacy Agenda 2019 – 2022, focusing on supporting and facilitating global space governance, stimulating and propelling global space economy and influencing and fostering global space advocacy.
Events
The Global Space Exploration Conference 2025
7-9 May 2025
New Delhi, India
Participation:
International Astronautical Congress 2023
2-6 October 2023
Baku, Azerbaijan
Participation:
The Global Space Conference on Climate Change 2023
23 May-25 May 2023
Oslo, Norway
Participation:
International Astronautical Congress 2022
18-22 September 2022
Paris, France
Participation:
- Plenary Programme: Opening Ceremony
- Associated Events: IAF-CGTN TV Broadcast Session: Space Exploration for a Shared Future
- Plenary Events: Heads of Agencies
- Highlight Lectures: IAF World Space Award: Achievements of the Tianwen-1 Mission
- Tuesday 20 September: Fireside Chat: Strengthening International Collaboration for the Future of Space
- Tuesday 20 September: Moon to Mars Objectives
- VIP Breakfasts and Luncheons: Sunday 18 September
- VIP Breakfasts and Luncheons: Monday 19 September
- VIP Breakfasts and Luncheons: Tuesday 20 September
- VIP Breakfasts and Luncheons: Wednesday 21 September
The Global Conference on Space for Emerging Countries 2022
16-20 May 2022
Quito, Ecuador
Participation:
- GLEC 2022: Speakers
- Tuesday 17 May 2022: Opening Ceremony
- Tuesday 17 May 2022: Plenary 1 A: High Level Panel: The Role of Space Agencies in a Space Ecosystem
- Tuesday 17 May 2022: Press Briefing
- Wednesday 18 May 2022: IAF GNF Session: Developing a Space Exploration Ecosystem based on International Collaboration
- Wednesday 18 May 2022: IAF GNF Session: The Gender Gap
- Thursday 19 May 2022: IAF GNF Session: Space in Schools & the Role of Academia
- Thursday 19 May 2022: Closing Ceremony
International Astronautical Congress 2021
25-29 October 2021
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Participation:
- 2021 72nd IAC: Speakers
- Plenary Events: Heads of Agencies
- Highlight Lectures: IAF World Space Award - Accomplishments of the Hayabusa2 Mission: Sample Return from C-type Asteroid Ryugu
- Tuesday 26 October 2021: Building the Commercial Future of Low Earth Orbit
- Ceremonies: Opening Ceremony
- Ceremonies: Closing Ceremony
The Global Space Exploration Conference 2021
14-18 June 2021
St. Petersburg, Russia
Participation:
- GLEX 2021: Speakers
- Sponsorship & Exhibition & Media & Press Briefing: Press Briefing
- Tuesday 15 June 2021: Opening Ceremony
- Tuesday 15 June 2021: Plenary 2a: High-Level Space Leaders
- Tuesday 15 June 2021: Plenary 2b: High-Level Space Leaders
- Tuesday 15 June 2021: GNF: Perseverance, Ingenuity, and the Future of Mars Science and Exploration
- Tuesday 15 June 2021: GNF: Enabling Science and Exploration: Extending Human Presence from Earth to the Moon and Beyond
- Wednesday 16 June 2021: GNF: Explore as One
- Thursday 17 June 2021: Plenary 5: Exploring Together - Opportunities, Challenges, and the Role of ISECG in Engaging Emerging Space Agencies
- Thursday 17 June 2021: GNF: Next Stop - IAC 2021 in Dubai
- Thursday 17 June 2021: Closing Ceremony
- Next Gen: Opening Ceremony
- Next Gen: Closing Session
- Next Gen: Planterium Evening Reception
International Astronautical Congress 2020
12-14 October 2020
Cyberspace edition
Participation:
- Special sessions: State and Response of the Global Space Sector during COVID-19
- Plenary Events: Heads of Agencies
- Highlight Lectures: IAF World Space Award – The Chang’e 4 Mission
- Events: IAF Excellence in Industry Award Ceremony
- Events: CGTN TV/ IAF: New Era in Commercial Space
- Events: IAF Excellence in “3G” Diversity Award Ceremony
International Astronautical Congress 2019
21-25 October 2019
Washington, United States
Participation:
- Plenary programme: Ceremonies
- Plenary events: Plenary 1: Heads of Space Agencies: Challenges and Opportunities in a Changing Space Environment
- Ceremonies: Opening Ceremony
- Ceremonies: Closing Ceremony
- Ceremonies: IAF Excellence In Industry Award Ceremony and Fireside Chat
- Wednesday 23 October 2019: Young Minds Meet Space Leaders: Words Into Action
International Astronautical Congress 2018
1–5 October 2018
Bremen, Germany
Participation:
- Plenary events: Plenary 4: The Game Changers – for a Joint Future in Space
- Late breaking news: HAYABUSA2, MASCOT, MINERVA II
- Wednesday 3 October 2018: The Golden Age of European Earth Observation
- Wednesday 3 October 2018: IAF GNF Public Stream: In-Flight Call with Alexander Gerst
- Thursday 4 October 2018: IAF GNF Future Stream: Life in Space: the Science, the Challenges, and the Broad Horizon
The Global Space Applications Conference 2018
21-23 May 2018
Montevideo, Uruguay
Participation:
International Astronautical Congress 2017
25-29 September 2017
Adelaide, Australia
Participation:
The Global Space Exploration Conference 2017
6-8 June 2017
Beijing, China
Participation:
International Astronautical Congress 2016
26-30 September 2016
Guadalajara, Mexico
Participation:
International Astronautical Congress 2015
12-16 October 2015
Jerusalem, Israel
Participation:
IAF GNF Space Conversations Series
Participation:
- IAF GNF Space Conversations Series: Global Exploratoin Roadmap - Supplement August 2020, Lunar Surface Exploration Scenario Update
- IAF GNF Space Conversations Series: Bridging the Space Divide for Developing Countries and Emerging Communities
- IAF GNF Space Conversations Series: STEM Professional Women's Exclusion in the Canadian Space Industry: Reclaiming their Space
