From Space Habitat to Space Town: Creating a Clear Pathway

Building on the momentum of the past three years, the Beyond Earth Institute is excited to host the Beyond Earth Symposium 2026 at the American University Washington College of Law, on February 24-25, 2026. The Beyond Earth Symposium is widely viewed as the foremost forum focused on the policy issues and challenges associated with the expansion of human presence throughout the solar system.

From Space Habitat to Space Town: Creating a Clear Pathway.

With the Commercial LEO Destination (CLD) program, the Artemis mission to return people to the Moon, and the commitment to send human missions to Mars—through public and private means–human presence in space is about to enter a whole new phase. The Symposium will bring together all stakeholders to consider what actionable decisions can bridge the gap between these near-term initiatives and the goal of permanent human habitation beyond Earth. In the process, we’ll grapple with “Why” we should have such goals and how we can create and maintain a sense of urgency, knowing it may take a generations or more to achieve them.

Everyone interested in a policy framework that will enable human settlement of space should plan to attend the Beyond Earth Symposium 2026.