The Joint Conference Virtual Platform is open for on-demand access by all registered attendees at: https://ka-icssc-virtualconf.org/user
To access the Virtual Platform please use the login credentials received by the Platform Team. The Platform will be online till October16, 2021

Five years ago - just two weeks before the opening of the 22nd Ka and 34th ICSSC Joint Conference -Frank Gargione tragically passed away. Tom Butash delivered a commemoration of Frank's life, his untimely passing and his living heritage: the Ka and Joint ICSSC and Ka Conferences.

From the left in the picture: Badri Younes, Ton Butash, Neil Helm at Frank's commemoration speech.

At the 26th Ka and 38th ICSSC Joint Conference Gala Dinner Badri Younes, NASA’s Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Communications and Navigation, receives the 2020 ACA “For his Lifetime Accomplishments; Outstanding Leadership in the Advancement of Space Communications; and, for Promoting Interoperability between Commercial and Space Agency Networks".
The Conference Organizing Committee warmly congratulates with him.

Dear Attendees,
I am thrilled to welcome you to the Joint 26th Ka and Broadband Communications Conference and the 38th International Communications Satellite Systems Conference (ICSSC). These two conferences are the most influential technical conferences in the world on communications and navigation satellite systems.
Last year, as Covid-19 cases were rising with no end in sight, the Conference Organizing Committee made the difficult decision to postpone the Joint Conference. Today, the pandemic is still a serious concern in most areas of the world and the Committee determined that a hybrid conference with a mix of virtual and in-person events would be the most effective way to hold this year’s event. This format will preserve the safety of our participants while still retaining many of our renowned networking opportunities.
We have an exciting schedule of plenary and technical sessions lined up for the joint conference. On Opening Day, Tuesday, September 28th, we will focus on the theme: “Artemis and Beyond: Communications and Navigation for Space Exploration”. We will begin the day with a Keynote Speech by NASA’s Deputy Associate Administrator of the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), Astronaut Capt. Kenneth Bowersox, retired USN. Following the keynote address, I will lead a Round Table to discuss public and private sector roles and commercialization opportunities in space communications and navigation. We will then conduct three Plenary Panels to discuss Artemis and Beyond mission requirements, technology needs, and industry commercialization. The following two days of conference will include the technical sessions and our fourth Plenary Panel on “Disruption and the Changing Face of the Satellite Industry”.
On Monday, September 27th, the AIAA Communications Systems Technical Committee is offering a colloquium on “Satellite Constellations and 5G” where you will learn from experts how satellites can complement terrestrial 5G systems and offer important societal and economic benefits while enhancing emergency/disaster management and national security. This is an in-person/virtual event and attendance requires a separate registration fee available on the conference website. And on the last day of the conference, September 30th, there is a meeting of the AlphaSat Aldo Paraboni Propagation Experimenters (ASAPE) Group to discuss propagation experiment results at Q/V Band with Aldo Paraboni Q/V Band payload.
The Joint Conference Organizing Committee along with the technical program Co-Chairs and Reviewers have done excellent work in organizing the conference and I would like to acknowledge their efforts. Special thanks are in order as well to our Keynote Speaker, Capt. Kenneth Bowersox and all our Panellists for taking time out of their busy days to support the Joint Conference.
I hope you will enjoy the upcoming 2021 Joint Conference and Colloquium, either in-person or virtually, and I look forward to the fruitful dialogue on emerging technologies and opportunities envisioned for space communications and navigation in the near future.


Badri Younes
Joint Conference Executive Chair

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.

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.

The Joint Conference Organizers would like to congratulate Mr. Badri Younes, for being selected to receive the prestigious 2020 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Aerospace Communications Award (ACA).
Mr. Badri Younes, NASA’s Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Communications and Navigation, was chosen to receive the 2020 ACA “For his Lifetime Accomplishments; Outstanding Leadership in the Advancement of Space Communications; and, for Promoting Interoperability between Commercial and Space Agency Networks.
The 2020 ACA will be presented to Mr. Badri Younes at the Conference Dinner Banquet on the first day, September 28, of the Joint Conference.