Dear Authors and Participants,

Last year in May the Organizing Committee took the unprecedented decision to postpone our Conference to September 27-30, 2021 with the unchanged venue at Arlington, Virginia, USA.
Given the COVID-19 pandemic is unlikely to be completely eliminated by September, the Committee determined that the most appropriate way to hold the 2021 Joint Conference is to adopt the hybrid format. Some events will be held in-person (and available also virtually) while some other events will be held only virtually. Colloquium format is at present confirmed as in-person. Nevertheless, the hybrid format is also under evaluation. An updating on Colloquium selected format will be posted soon.
This format will preserve the safety of our participants, retain many of our event's renowned social and networking opportunities and allow to safely hold our conference without requiring further eradication of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Organizing Committee hopes you will attend and enjoy the upcoming 2021 Joint Conference and Colloquium, either in-person or virtually.

Dear Authors and Participants

Thank you for your interest in this year’s Joint Conference scheduled to be held in Arlington, Virginia, USA on 13th – 16th October 2020.
The event will bring together representatives of the world’s leading space agencies as well as researchers and experts in academia, industry, and regulatory organizations around the world.
Backed by an exciting program of social events, the Joint Conference provides an unrivaled opportunity to formulate and exchange the latest ideas for the new decade and to strengthen alliances and establish new partnerships and collaborations.
The Joint Conference Organizing Committee, in the current climate of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected all our lives, with the aim to do everything in its power to support and promote the health, well-being and productivity of all conference authors and participants made the decision to postpone the 26th Ka and 38th ICSSC Joint Conference to 27th – 30th September 2021. The conference venue is unchanged at Arlington, Virginia, USA.
This unprecedented decision was not taken lightly. We analyzed the best medical opinion on the evolution and impact of the pandemic through 2020. And we even considered moving to a virtual conference format at the original October 2020 schedule. In the end we decided that the best interests of the safety of our participants and unique nature of our conference (involving interactions in high-profile plenary panels and parallel technical sessions as well as social activities) will be served by a postponement. We believe that we will be able to implement any safety precautions dictated by expert medical advice to hold a successful physical conference at this new date.
The Joint Conference Organizing Committee decided to maintain the Abstract submission open and strongly suggests to submit your abstracts on or before the 30th September 2020. More detailed information on abstract submission will shortly follow on the website and with a dedicated email.
If you were considering submitting an abstract and have not yet done so, please take this opportunity to visit the Joint Conference website and follow the simple instructions. We hope that this extension gives enough time to potential authors whose research has been hampered by the global lock-down
We thank you for your continuing support and your kind understanding in these exceptional circumstances. Please be sure to mark your calendar with this important new date and stay tuned with our website and emails for more details about the Joint Conference program and evolving plans on Abstract submission, Plenary sessions and Plenary Round Table that will bring together representatives of the world’s leading Space Agencies.
Sincerely,

Joint Conference Organizing Committee

The Joint Conference Organizing Committee unanimously nominate Mr. Badri Younes NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator, Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN), for the honorary role of Executive Chair of the 2020 Joint Conference .
The Committee warmly thanks Mr. Badri Younes for having accepted the role.

A dedicated website is available for booking hotel rooms online at the Conference Hotel.
Reservations can be made starting October 8, 2020.

The Joint Conference Organizers would like to congratulate Mr. Badri Younes, NASA’s Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Communications and Navigation, for being selected to receive the prestigious “AIAA Aerospace Communications Technical Excellence Award” for his Lifetime Accomplishments; Outstanding Leadership in the Advancement of Space Communications; and, for Promoting Interoperability between Commercial and Space Agency Networks. The Award Presentation will take place during conference week.