General
What is the Space Settlement Summit?
The Space Settlement Summit is the National Space Society's (NSS) annual high-level conference that brings together scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to build actionable strategies for human settlement beyond Earth. Unlike a typical conference of talks, the summit is workshop-driven, meaning participants work in small breakout groups to produce insights that will become position papers that go directly to policymakers, industry leaders, and investors. A summary of the summit results will also be published in Ad Astra magazine, available online and in retail outlets nationally. The Orbital Space Settlement Design workshop will result in a draft recommendation titled "Recommended Preferred Use-Case for the first Earth-Moon Orbital Settlement," which will, in its final form, appear as a paper in the NSS Space Settlement Journal.
When is the Space Settlement Summit 2026?
The Space Settlement Summit 2026 takes place Sunday, October 25 – Monday, October 26, 2026.
Where will the Space Settlement Summit 2026 be held?
The Summit is held in Orlando, Florida, across two venues:
- Day 1 (Oct 25): The Celeste Hotel, 4105 N Alafaya Trail, Orlando, FL 32826
- Day 2 (Oct 26): University of Central Florida (UCF) campus, Business 1, The Exchange, Room 148
What is the theme of the 2026 Summit?
This year's theme is "From the Moon to Markets: Building the Cislunar Economy," focusing on the logistics, financial frameworks, and economic opportunities emerging in the near-term cislunar economy.
Who organizes the Space Settlement Summit?
The summit is organized by the National Space Society (NSS), a nonprofit dedicated to building a spacefaring civilization, in collaboration with The Economist and hosted at the University of Central Florida.
Who should attend the Space Settlement Summit?
The summit is designed for space industry professionals, scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, legal and space-law experts, students, and space advocates interested in shaping the cislunar economy, lunar settlement, and space governance.
How can I become a Space Settlement Summit sponsor or exhibitor?
- Phone: 949-727-1211
- Email: Aggie.Kobrin@NSS.org
Registration & Cost
How do I register for the Space Settlement Summit 2026?
Registration is available online through the official registration portal linked from the summit's homepage. Register here.
Is there a discount for students?
Yes, there are tiered rates, including discounts for students, seniors (65+), and NSS members. Check the registration portal directly for current pricing.
When does early bird pricing end?
Early bird pricing ends on October 1, 2026. Be sure to secure your tickets before then for the lowest rate.
Which payment methods do you accept?
Our ticketing agency, Passage, accepts all major credit and debit cards, Link accounts, and mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Is the Space Settlement Summit connected to any other events?
Yes, the Summit is the opening event of UCF Space Week 2026 (October 25–30), a six-day series that also includes the SpaceU Symposium (Oct 27), the Space Economy Summit presented by The Economist (Oct 28–29), and the UCF Space Game football game (Oct 30). Space Settlement Summit attendees can use code SPACE25 for a discount to the Space Economy Summit.
What is the cancellation/refund policy?
Refunds and cancellations must be submitted via email. Please allow 2 to 3 weeks for processing after submitting a refund or cancellation request. Full refunds are available through October 1, 2026; 50% refunds through October 18, 2026. No refunds will be issued after October 18, 2026.
Do you offer vegetarian or vegan meal options?
Our meals will all be buffets with vegetarian options. Vegan options can be made available upon request. Please contact Aggie Kobrin:
- Phone: 949-727-1211
- Email: Aggie.Kobrin@NSS.org
Location, Travel, Lodging, & Parking
Where should I stay for the Summit?
The NSS has reserved a room block at The Celeste Hotel at 4105 N Alafaya Trail, Orlando, FL 32826, a Tribute Portfolio hotel just minutes from the UCF campus. Rooms are available at a special group rate of $189/night plus tax. All bookings must be made by October 2nd to guarantee the group rate. Book your stay today.
Is transportation provided between venues?
The walk from The Celeste Hotel to the Monday workshop venue takes approximately 10 minutes. Golf cart transportation is available upon request. If you require mobility assistance, please let us know in advance so we can arrange it for you. Please contact Aggie Kobrin:
- Phone: 949-727-1211
- Email: Aggie.Kobrin@NSS.org
Is parking available at the Celeste Hotel?
Yes, there is hotel parking available for Summit attendees.
Is parking available at the UCF Campus?
There is paid parking available on campus.
Agenda & Workshops
What topics does the 2026 agenda cover?
Workshops will explore living and working on the Moon, lunar power grids, orbital space settlement design, cislunar economic security, the Outer Space Treaty and space law, and Earth–Moon–Mars logistics.
How is the two-day agenda structured?
Day 1 (Oct 25) runs a morning and an afternoon workshop block at The Celeste Hotel, each offering three concurrent breakout sessions on topics like lunar habitation, power, and orbital settlement design. Day 2 (Oct 26) moves to the UCF campus for a final morning workshop block covering space economic security, space law, and logistics, followed by joint report-outs summarizing findings across all workshops. The full schedule is available here.
Are there any tours or extra activities?
Yes, an optional tour of the Exolith Lab®, a lunar and Martian regolith simulant research facility in Orlando managed by the Florida Space Institute is offered on the afternoon of Day 2. Transportation will be provided from the UCF event space to the lab, and will return to the Celeste Hotel.
What happens to the workshop results?
Workshop outcomes are published as a set of Space Settlement Summit position papers and as a feature article in Ad Astra magazine, then used for direct outreach to policymakers, industry leaders, and investors.
Key Concepts (Space & Cislunar Economy Basics)
What does "cislunar" mean?
Cislunar refers to the region of space between Earth and the Moon, including Earth orbit, lunar orbit, the lunar surface, and the gravitationally-stable Lagrange points between them. It's the zone where near-term commercial and government space activity, from satellites and lunar landers to space stations and eventually lunar mining, is expected to concentrate first.
What is the "cislunar economy"?
The cislunar economy is the emerging network of commercial and government activity in the Earth-Moon system, including lunar resource extraction, in-space manufacturing, orbital power and communications infrastructure, and the logistics and security frameworks needed to support them. It's the central theme of the 2026 Space Settlement Summit.
What is ISRU (in-situ resource utilization)?
ISRU is the practice of collecting and using local resources, such as lunar or Martian soil (regolith), water ice, or minerals, instead of transporting everything from Earth. It's considered essential to making a Moon base or Mars settlement economically viable and is a recurring topic across Summit workshops and the Exolith Lab tour.
What is a rotating space settlement (O'Neill cylinder)?
A rotating space settlement is a large orbital habitat that spins to create artificial gravity via centrifugal force, allowing people to live inside in terrestrial gravity conditions. The concept originated with physicist Gerard K. O'Neill in the 1970s. The NSS's multi-year Orbital Space Settlement Design Project (featured in summit workshops) is developing a complete engineering design for the first such settlement in cislunar space.
What is the Outer Space Treaty and why does it matter for lunar settlement?
About NSS & Related Programs
What is the National Space Society (NSS)?
What is Ad Astra magazine?
Ad Astra is the National Space Society's official quarterly print magazine covering space exploration, science, and policy; Summit workshop findings will be published there as a feature article.
Is the Space Settlement Summit connected to the International Space Development Conference (ISDC)?
Yes, the NSS also runs the International Space Development Conference® (ISDC®), the Society's flagship annual conference. ISDC 2027 will be held May 27–30, 2027, at the Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel in Los Angeles, California.
How can I become an NSS member?
To become a member, please visit this page.
How do I stay updated on future NSS events?
Click here to sign up for NSS event updates.
Contact
Who do I contact with questions about the Summit?
Contact Aggie Kobrin at the National Space Society:
- Phone: 949-727-1211
- Email: Aggie.Kobrin@NSS.org