Meeting at In Orbit Servicing, Assembly & Manufacturing (ISAM) Conference 2025 in Belfast

I’ll be attending the In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly & Manufacturing (ISAM) Conference 2025 in Belfast on the 4th and 5th of June. The UK Space Agency and Satellite Applications Catapult are organizing this second conference at the ICC Belfast, building on the foundation established by last year’s inaugural event.

The conference has expanded significantly from its first year, now accommodating three times the number of participants. This growth reflects increasing engagement from both established space organizations and companies from traditional industries recognizing opportunities in orbital operations. The program includes presentations from organizations already working on commercial space operations, networking time, an expanded exhibition showcasing current technologies, interactive roundtables for deeper technical discussions, and academic poster sessions highlighting research directions in the field.

The focus on ISAM technologies addresses practical challenges emerging as space operations mature. In-orbit servicing capabilities are becoming necessary as satellite constellations grow and require maintenance, life extension, and end-of-life management. Assembly operations in space open possibilities for constructing systems that would be impractical to launch as single units. Manufacturing in orbit presents opportunities to produce materials and components in microgravity environments, offering advantages over terrestrial production for specific applications.

John Abbott, CEO of the Satellite Applications Catapult, noted: “We are delighted to announce the return of the ISAM Conference in 2025. The inaugural event exceeded all expectations, and we are excited to build on that success. ISAM offers enormous potential for the future of the space industry, and we aim to make this conference the premier platform for driving these innovations forward.”

The conference’s three-fold growth reflects the expanding ISAM community and the maturation of the New Space economy, where space-based services transition from concepts to operational realities.