The ITU International Satellite Symposium, which focused for the first time on the Americas region, was held 29-31 May 2017 in Bariloche, Argentina. The symposium gathered more than 130 satellite and space industry experts and stakeholders, including ITU Member States from the Americas region, regulators, satellite industry and operators, and stakeholders of the space ecosystem. The event offered the opportunity for the latest advances in satellite communications, space missions and monitoring, national space plans and regulatory and market aspects of space services to be presented and discussed.

The symposium began with two high-level discussion panels dedicated to international regulations, and satellite markets and technology trends, followed by other panels on non-geostationary satellite mega constellations and techniques to combat harmful interference.

"The outcomes of the ITU International Satellite Symposium 2017 will serve to strengthen the space industry at all levels from policy and regulations to market and competition. These outcomes will also guide important action planning, including that of ITU activities," said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao.  

"Satellite communication play an increasingly important role in our daily lives, but is reliant on one single and finite resource common to all countries in the world – the orbit/spectrum resource. The symposium has made great strides in addressing this challenge, and in advancing towards connectivity access targets set by the World Summit on the Information Society," said ITU Radiocommunication Bureau Director François Rancy.

Other important topics addressed during the symposium include science services, satellite initiatives in the Americas region, high throughput satellites, mobility, broadcasting and the ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19). A distinguished list of 35 expert speakers represented Analytical Graphics Inc. (AGI), Agencia Espacial Boliviana (ABE), Anatel - Brazil, ARSAT, CEATSA, Clarke Belt 2.0, Comunidad Andina de Naciones, CONAE, ESA, ESOA, Eutelsat Americas, Global VSAT Forum, Hispasat, Hughes/Echostar, IFT Mexico, Inmarsat, Intelsat, INVAP, ITU, Kepler Communications, Kratos, Ministerio de Comunicaciones Argentina, NASA, O3b, Omnispace, OneWeb, Satellogic, Siemens, ViaSat, and Zodiac Aerospace.

"Satellites play an important role in the transfer of information, allowing the provision of such important information services as television, digital broadcasting, mobile phone and internet, among others. They play a critical role in information society development and reducing the digital divide – making connecting the unconnected a reality," said Mr. Héctor Huici, Secretary of Information and Communication Technologies, Argentina.  

The event was organized by ITU and Argentina's Ministry of Communications with the support of INVAP, ARSAT, CEATSA, SES, O3B, Inmarsat and ESOA. It was attended by participants from 20 countries (e.g. Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Canada, China, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, the United States).

The symposium concluded with a visit to the INVAP and CEATSA satellite manufacturing and testing facilities in San Carlos de Bariloche, where participants had the opportunity to see the integration of the SAOCOM earth exploration satellites that will be launched in 2018, and a visit to satellite operator ARSAT's earth station and data centre in Buenos Aires.

For further information, please visit the event website.