Astronauts on the moon and Mars? World space leaders lay out visions for an ambitious future

Artistic depiction of NASA astronauts at the lunar south pole carrying out early work to establish an Artemis Base Camp. .

SYDNEY — Leaders of the world's major space agencies shared visions for space in the coming years at a major space congress in Australia's biggest city, showcasing a wide range of plans for the future of space.

Representatives of NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the China National Space Administration (CNSA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) took turns laying out their plans on Monday (Sept. 29) at the 2025 International Astronautical Congress (IAC) here in Sydney.