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IAC for the first time in Africa

International Astronautical Congress for the first time in Africa

Prague, 3rd October 2011 - The 62nd International Astronautical Congress (IAC) starts 3rd October at Cape Town, South Africa. The congress is the most significant event on space. The results of Czech space activities will be represented by Czech Space Office, that have its own booth.

The congress is organized by the International Astronautical Federation along with the local organizing committee in South Africa and it takes place in Cape Town from 3rd to 7th October. This year follows the last year that was held in Prague under the patronage of Czech Space Office and that the Mayor of Prague awarded as the "Congress of 2010". Now the congress moves for the first time in its history to Africa with the official motto "Africa Astronaissance".

"The IAC is in terms of space activities undoubtedly the most important event in the world. There are presented the current results of individual states in space research and science and there are also made the important contacts which are key for further cooperation," says about the importance of Congress IAC Jan Kolář, the director of the Czech Space Office.

The International Astronautical Congress is divided into two parts - the industrial exhibition and the scientific congress. At the exhibition there are presented products and technologies of the world's leading manufacturers, universities, academies or national space agencies. At the scientific congress there are presented the results of research in all areas related to space. Other part of the IAC is also an acompanying program for students.

Czech Space Office Czech represents the institutions involved in space activities at the exhibition through its own space exposure. "Especially for this event, we have prepared a comprehensive presentation that introduces the participants to scientific and technological capacities of Czech Republic and to successfully completed projects," says Kolář. Czech Space Office also released a special brochure on this occasion on the Czech space research and a catalog of Czech space workplaces with more than 60 contacts to Czech companies and institutions oriented to aerospace.