The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) is an international space advocacy organization based in Paris, and founded in 1951 as a non-governmental organization to establish a dialogue between scientists around the world and to lay the information for international space cooperation. It has over 390 members from 68 countries across the world. They are drawn from space agencies, companies, universities, professional associations, museums, government organizations and learned societies. The IAF organizes the annual International Astronautical Congress (IAC). As of 2019, Pascale Ehrenfreund has served as the president of the IAF. History After World War II, Heinz Gartmann, Gunter Loeser, and Heinz-Hermann Koelle formed the German Rocket Society. They contacted the British Interplanetary Society (BIS) and Groupement Astronautique Français. The French group's leader, Alexandre Ananoff, organized the First International Congress for Astronautics in Paris, France, in September 1950. At the second congress in London, United Kingdom, in September 1951, the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) was organized; at the third congress in Stuttgart, West Germany, in 1952, the IAF constitution was adopted and the organization registered under Swiss Law. Events International Astronautical Federation Congress (IAC) The IAC is a space event and the largest put on by the organization, with approximately 6,000 participants each year. A different member of IAF is selected by IAF each year to host the IAC. An annual event held in September or October, the congress includes "networking events, talks, and a technical program on advances in science and exploration, applications and operations, technology, infrastructure, and space and society." There are side events including the annual IAF Workshop with the support of the United Nations,[1] which takes place during the 2 days preceding the IAC. IAF Global Conference The IAF Global Conferences are organized annually. Each year they have a specific space-related topic and theme, and are held in alternating or new locations. Global Lunar Exploration Conference (GLUC 2010) in Beijing Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2012) in Washington, D.C. Global Space Applications Conference (GLAC 2014) in Paris Global Space Innovation Conference (GLIC 2015) in Munich Global Conference on Space and the Information Society (GLIS 2016) in Geneva Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2017) in Beijing Global Space Applications Conference (GLAC 2018) in Montevideo Global Conference on Space for Emerging Countries (GLEC 2019) in Marrakech Global Space Exploration Conference (GLEX 2021) in St. Petersburg The International Space Forum at Ministerial Level (ISF) The International Space Forum at Ministerial Level