IAF Excellence in International Cooperation Award 2026

The IAF Excellence in International Cooperation Award will be presented during the IAC 2026 Opening Ceremony on Monday, 5 October 2026. This award is presented annually to an individual who has demonstrated excellence in their efforts to promote and facilitate global engagement and cooperation in the space sector.

The IAF Excellence in International Cooperation Award 2026 is bestowed to Steve Eisenhart

Steve Eisenhart served as Space Foundation Senior Vice President – Strategic & International Affairs and later Senior Advisor, retiring in January 2026 after more than 29 years at the Foundation.
Steve was principally responsible for the Space Foundation’s global strategy, as well as the organization’s relationships with international space agencies and organizations, foreign embassies, and U.S. organizations involved with global space programs. He was directly responsible for the program development and integration of key Space Foundation activities, including the annual Space Symposium and the New Generation Space Leaders program. Steve was a Vice President of the International Astronautical Federation from 2020-2023 leading the Global Network Forum portfolio. Steve also served as a member of the Advisory Board of the Space Generation Advisory Council in Support of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications and has been a mentor to young professionals around the world. He is also on the editorial board of New Space: The Journal of Space Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Steve serves on the Colorado Advisory Committee of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, an influential network of 500 businesses and organizations to build a better, safer world. He is co-chairman for the International Space Symposium on Peaceful Use of Space Technology (Health), focusing on the development and application of space technology in promoting social and economic development with a focus on health. Steve also served for a number of years as a Private Sector Advisor to the U.S. Delegation to the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Since joining the Space Foundation in 1996, Steve has had a broad range of responsibilities, variously serving as Senior Vice President of Strategic Communications, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, and Communications Manager. He also led the Research and Analysis and Washington Operations teams.

Steve was a career Army Officer and served as a military Public Affairs Officer at NATO’s military headquarters among his assignments. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. Steve and his wife Pam reside is Colorado Springs.