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On August 4, 2026, American Public University System combined with Rasmussen University and Hondros College of Nursing to form a single higher education institution. American Public University System (The System) now includes American Public University, American Military University, Rasmussen University, and Hondros College of Nursing. The System is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Public Education, Inc. (APEI). We are continuing to update our website to reflect our new structure.

 

The 7th Annual Space Education and Strategic Applications Conference

September 17th – 18th, 2026.

Sixty-five years after humans first left the confines of earth and entered the space environment, NASA and partners are poised to establish a permanent presence on the Moon. The 7th annual Space Education and Strategic Applications (SESA) conference commemorates this and other 2026 milestones, including the 50th anniversary of the first landers (Viking 1 & 2) on Mars, by focusing on the policies, science, and technologies that will propel humankind into a new era of Solar System exploration beyond the confines of Earth orbit.

Conference Details

Dates: September 17 - 18, 2026
Format: Virtual
Cost: Free and open to the public

Attend Here!

Themes and Topics

Explore and share advances and human exploration systems engineering through the following panel topics:

Commercial & Military Space

Exobiology & Life in the Universe

Earth & Planetary Sustainability

Evolution of the Human Space Factors & Systems

Protecting Earth: Earth Sciences & Defense

Space Economics

Analog Research & Development

Evolving Space Law & Policy

Astronomy Education & Space Technologies

ePoster Session

Proposal Guidelines

2026 Proposals are currently closed.

All submissions will be peer-reviewed based on originality, clarity, relevance, and impact. Accepted presenters will receive detailed participation guidelines upon acceptance. Any questions? Contact the conference organizers here: sesajournal@apus.edu

Presenters are additionally invited to submit a 3-6 page summary of their presentation to publication in the SESA Journal Conference Proceedings.

Conference Schedule

 

9:00am

  • Day One Keynote: Dr. Bonnie Dunbar

10:00am

  • Lunar & Economic Sustainability in the new Era of Space Exploration
  • A Global Pathway to Sustainability through Case Study

11:30am

  • Lunar Analog Environments and Operational Infrastructure
  • The New Space Battlefield: Commanding the Higher Ground

1:00pm

  • ePoster Sessions

2:30pm

  • The Search for Life in the Universe
  • Human Health in Extreme Environments

4:00pm

  • The APUS Space Human Factors Concentration
  • Contested Orbits: Space Security at a Crossroads

5:00pm

  • Closing Keynote: Dr. Franceska Schroeder

9pm

9:00am

  • Day Two Keynote

10:00am

  • Designing Human-Centered Habitats for Mars
  • Beyond Earth: The Human Condition for Cosmic Construction

11:30am

  • Algorithms in Orbit: from Ethics to Discovery
  • Space Education and Outreach in Africa

1:00pm

  • ePoster Sessions

2:30pm

  • Eclipsing the Cosmos: Stardust to Shadows
  • A New Space Order: The Changing Architecture for Space Diplomacy

4:00pm

  • Beyond Launch: Governing Security and Sovereignty in the Commercial Space Age
  • The New Space Economy: Business Beyond Earth

Past SESA Conference Presentations