Geneva will host the 2029 International Astronautical Congress after beating bids from Barcelona and Houston. Infoespacial reported that the International Astronautical Federation made the selection on Friday, October 9, during its General Assembly at IAC 2026 in Antalya, Türkiye. ARA independently reported the same result.
What Geneva will host
The 2029 gathering will be the 80th edition of the IAC, one of the space sector’s largest annual meetings. The congress brings together space agencies, companies, universities, research centers and government bodies to present technology, discuss policy priorities and build partnerships.
Geneva’s campaign emphasized the city’s international role and Switzerland’s research and industrial base. Space Exchange Switzerland said the country’s space ecosystem included more than 130 companies and institutions, while Geneva was known for its international organizations and long-standing diplomatic tradition.
Three different pitches
Houston leaned on its identity as “Space City” and framed its proposal around the transition from Apollo to Artemis. In its account of the official site visit, Aerospace America described a bid designed to connect the 60th anniversary of Apollo 11 with a new period of lunar exploration. Barcelona, meanwhile, arrived in Antalya with extensive government and industry backing, according to ARA.
The public reports do not include a vote tally or an official explanation for why Geneva prevailed. Eric Berger, whose post helped surface the result, speculated that international views of current US political leadership influenced the outcome. The reporting used for this article does not establish that view as a reason for the IAF’s decision.
