This interdisciplinary space security conference is convened by the Vienna-based Center for Risk and Crisis Management, a non-profit association working on security and strategic decision-making since 2007. Its hybrid discussions examine responsibility, critical infrastructure, cyber risk, law, policy and economic resilience for government, business, researchers, civil society, international organisations and aerospace specialists.
About the Vienna Space Security Conference
The Vienna Space Security Conference brings space questions into a wider discussion of security, responsibility and societal resilience. The 2026 meeting runs on 15 and 16 October at the Parliament of the Republic of Austria, with hybrid participation intended to widen access. The Center for Risk and Crisis Management convenes the conference as a non-profit, interdisciplinary association rather than as a commercial space-event producer.
The theme asks who is in charge when responsibility for space security crosses government, military, commercial and civil boundaries. Discussions connect critical space infrastructure with cybersecurity, economic security, environmental risk, political authority and public resilience. The organiser brings decision-makers, business, media, researchers, civil society, international organisations and aerospace experts into an open exchange rather than one technical discipline. Reports, interviews and social media are intended to make results available beyond the room. This breadth does not mean every security subject is a confirmed session; the official programme determines the agenda and contributors. Physical and online participants should distinguish conference access from parliamentary visitor procedures. The event addresses policy and strategy, not defence equipment or specialist spacecraft engineering.
Event history and organiser
The Vienna Space Security Conference is an activity of the Center for Risk and Crisis Management, known as CRC. The association was founded in Vienna in April 2007 and has initiated security research projects with members since 2009. Its broader mission is to improve awareness and capability in leadership, risk, security, crisis management and strategic decision-making across business, science, public administration and society. VSSC extends that interdisciplinary model into the space domain, with Austrian, European and transatlantic roots and a stated global outlook. The Austrian Parliament is the 2026 venue and supports the conference setting, while CRC remains the organising association. The current official site does not provide a sufficiently precise edition number or founding year for VSSC itself, so the page does not invent one. Historical context is therefore attached to CRC’s verified organisational lineage rather than an unsupported conference count. Current programme, access and published outputs remain edition-specific.
Topics and themes
VSSC treats space security as an interconnected public problem rather than only a military or engineering issue. Its themes examine responsibility across systems, institutions and communities.
- Responsibility and governance: discussion asks how states, companies and international bodies divide authority, accountability and decision-making in a changing domain.
- Critical infrastructure: satellite communications, navigation and other orbital services are considered through resilience, dependency and continuity planning.
- Cyber and economic security: connected ground and space systems create risks that move between digital networks, markets, institutions and physical services.
- Law and policy: legal frameworks, public strategy and responsible behaviour shape how actors prevent, manage and respond to security challenges.
- Risk and crisis management: scenario thinking, preparedness, communication and cross-sector coordination support robust, accountable responses to disruption or conflict.
Who should attend?
VSSC is intended for political leaders, public officials and parliamentary or policy teams dealing with space, security and critical infrastructure. Space companies, telecommunications providers and other infrastructure operators can contribute practical perspectives on dependency and resilience. Security professionals, risk managers and cyber specialists may value the conference’s cross-domain approach. Researchers, universities and think tanks can connect legal, technical, economic and societal work with decision-makers. International organisations, non-governmental groups, media and civil-society participants are explicitly within the organiser’s audience because the conference seeks informed public discussion. Aerospace engineers looking for detailed design sessions should review the programme carefully, as the focus is strategic and interdisciplinary. The hybrid format may support wider participation, but online access, language and interactive features should be confirmed through current organiser information.
View Vienna Space Security Conference informationPractical information
VSSC takes place at the Austrian Parliament in Vienna on 15 and 16 October, with hybrid participation. The official address is Dr.-Karl-Renner-Ring 3.
Confirm registration, parliamentary entry procedures, identification requirements, security screening and online-access instructions. Check the final programme, session times, platform testing, technical requirements and any language or recording arrangements before relying on remote participation.
Frequently asked questions
When and where is VSSC 2026?
The conference runs on 15 and 16 October 2026 at the Parliament of the Republic of Austria in Vienna, with a hybrid option.
Who organises the conference?
The Vienna-based Center for Risk and Crisis Management convenes VSSC. It is a non-profit association founded in 2007, not the Austrian Parliament.
What is the 2026 theme?
The theme asks who is responsible for space security when authority and dependency cross public, private, national and international boundaries.
Which subjects are covered?
Topics include critical space infrastructure, cybersecurity, economic and environmental security, law, policy, risk, crisis management, resilience and institutional responsibility.
Who should attend?
The audience spans government, parliament, business, infrastructure operators, researchers, media, civil society, international organisations, non-governmental groups and specialist aerospace or security professionals.
What should participants confirm?
Check registration, parliamentary identification and entry rules, the final agenda, online-access instructions, language arrangements and whether reports or recordings will be published. Physical attendees should allow for security screening and cloakroom rules, while remote participants should test the stated platform, audio, browser and connection requirements well beforehand. Confirm the latest organiser notice for VSSC before completing travel arrangements.