Hartford set to host first international space trade summit

A space shuttle launch during lift off.

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By Joe Cooper

Space agencies and suppliers from across the world will travel to downtown Hartford next week for what organizers are calling the first-ever international space trade summit.

Collins Aerospace Systems, a newly minted subsidiary of Farmington conglomerate United Technologies Corp., and the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration are holding the event at the Hartford Marriott Downtown on Columbus Boulevard from Sunday, May 19, to Tuesday, May 21.

The three-day event is aimed at bringing together global space agencies and suppliers of all sizes from countries like the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom to network and collaborate on meeting industry demands, organizers say.

Collins Aerospace and UTC are co-sponsoring the event.

UTC recently formed Collins Aerospace, its largest segment, through the combination of Rockwell Collins, an Iowa-based aviation system maker it acquired last year for $30 billion, and UTC Aerospace Systems.

"The future of space exploration will require cooperation across multiple industries, small businesses, primes and [original equipment manufacturers]," said Gail Baker, Collins Aerospace’s vice president and general manager of the Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance & Space Solutions unit.

"This summit is an excellent way for aerospace companies to connect and discover how they can be involved in the opportunities available in the space industry,” Baker said.

Following opening remarks from Dan Burbank, senior technical fellow for Collins Aerospace and a retired NASA astronaut, the summit will include topics surrounding space commercialization, industry trends and procurement, among other issues facing the global space sector, organizers say.

The event will be attended by numerous federal officials and U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney (D-2nd District) and John Larson (D-1st District).