Ascension 2021

This page is for Ascension 2021.
Click the button below to find updated information and to register for Ascension 2022!

Dextre and Canada Arm, the ‘Canadian handi-bots’
Both are symbols of Canadian excellence and also
representations of the interdisciplinary cooperation
that moves the Space industry.

Welcome to Ascension 2021: Building Your Future In Space

Thank you for making Ascension 2021 a blast! We hope you had as much fun as we did!
This year, over 600 people from all over the world came together to join our diverse array of speakers and industry guests discuss topics related to this year’s theme: ‘Building Our Future In Space’. The goal of Ascension this year was to bring in a diverse array of speakers and panellists to discuss the plethora of paths available to get involved with Space. From art to planetary science and quantum computing, our goal was to show Canadians that a path to get involved in Space exists for anyone who has a passion for Space.

Opening Keynote

image of Vinita Marwaha
Vinita Marwaha Madill
Mission Control Space Services

Closing Keynote

image of Kate Howells
Kate Howells
The Planetary Society

Check out some of our inspiring encouraging diverse welcoming clever generous speakers below

The Future of Computing

Discover the role that computing technologies will play in the future of space. From quantum computing to autonomous space missions to computer algorithms that can make sense of trillions of bytes of data, this year’s Ascension brings together specialists from a range of computing disciplines to discuss the role of computing in the future of the Space industry. 

Featured Speakers

Dr. Gwendolyn Eadie
Astrostatistics
Jennifer Elliott Quantum Computing
Dr. Alex Ellery Artificial Intelligence

Space Sciences & Exploration

A team that aims to explore the frontiers of our cosmic backyard requires a suite of scientists from many disciplines. Space research requires physicists, biologists, chemists, mathematicians, ecologists, geologists and more, working in tandem. It is at the interface between these minds that we see the formation of unique thoughts that ultimately push humanity forward.

Featured Speakers

image of Roxy Fournier
Dr. Roxy Fournier Cellular Microgravity
image of Gordon Osinski
Dr. Gordon Osinski Lunar Gateway
Image of Shawna Pandya
Dr. Shawna Pandya
Space Medicine

Entrepreneurship In Space

The landscape of the space industry today is shifting rapidly. Where it was once dominated by government agencies and missions, today we see new emerging companies and partnerships between the private and public sectors to make space more accessible than ever. Fueled by innovation and growing at a rapid pace, it’s an exciting time to be a young professional looking to delve into the space field.

Featured Speakers

image of Lucy Stojak
Lucy Stojak
Space Law
Ryan Anderson Space Innovation
Bachar Elzein
Rocketry Startups

Space, a Home for Art

Space may be sterile, but it is a breeding ground for art, culture and creativity. It is likely that nothing has changed the course of our civilization and molded our culture as much as Space has. Consider how we may behave today if humanity had never broke the spell that made us think that our planet was all there was, and that the cosmos was a literal blanket that enveloped all of creation. The feelings that these revelations elicit may be nebulous, but they have been grasped by poets, artists, musicians, and writers for centuries. To explore the cosmos is one thing, and understanding why we explore and what our discoveries mean to us is another. Therefore, Ascension is proud to host a number of renowned artists inspired by Space.

Featured Speakers

Dr. Matt Russo
Cosmic Music

Rocketry and Satellites

Like the big bang we were born from, all life is persuaded, by their fundamental nature, to expand into the world around them. Place a fish into a pond, and in a few thousand years the oceans will be teaming with life. Give a reptile wings, and it will eventually conquer the skies. As it relates to this expansive endeavor, humans don’t have wings or gills, but that has not stopped us from exploring our oceans and piercing through the sky. Our ancestors sailed the seas, and flew past the planets. Now the guiding torch of exploration is in our hands, and we choose to aim for the stars.

Featured Speakers

Sohrab Haghighat
Novel Satellite Launching Technologies
image of Taryn Tomlinson
Taryn Tomlinson
The Future of Earth Observartion
Andrew Higgins
Dr. Andrew Higgins
Propulsion Systems for Interstellar Flight

...and many more! See the whole schedule, speakers, and register below!

Ascension 2021 Sponsors

GOLD Sponsor

SILVER Sponsors

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