The annual Space Symposium, the largest gathering of commercial, military and governmental figures in space technology in the world, returns to Colorado Springs this week as more and more nations and companies look to the stars – and as NASA prepares for a long-awaited return to the moon.

The six-day event at The Broadmoor is expected to draw 14,000 attendees from more than 40 countries. The attendance total is up from 10,000 last year and will be enough to fill 30 hotels. Visit Colorado Springs estimates the symposium will generate more than $16 million in economic impact from filling hotel rooms, restaurants and other tourist venues.

This year’s symposium also will have 230 exhibits spread across 110,000 square feet of exhibition space. Lockheed Martin and Kratos also will have outdoor exhibits featuring their Mobile User Objective System and a special space Hummer, respectively.

“This year (the symposium) is going to be bigger than any of the others. It is the greatest space show on earth – a hell of way to go out,” said Tom Zelibor, who will be presiding at his last such event before retiring as Space Foundation CEO June 30.

The symposium’s agenda, featuring more than 260 speakers, will include:

? Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall

? Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, Space Force chief of operations

? Gen. James Dickinson, commander of U.S. Space Command

? Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro

? Jong-Shinn Wu, director general of the Taiwan Space Agency, who will be part of panel discussion of emerging space nations at a time of growing political and military tensions with China.

This year’s symposium will again feature half-day “tracks,” or extended programs, on space law, space science, space classified, “game-changers,” workforce and “new-generation leaders,” all held at the nearby Cheyenne Mountain Resort.

The foundation also will hold another free “Family Symposium” from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday at its Space Discovery Center, 4425 Arrowswest Drive, focusing on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics and featuring a panel of former astronauts.

Key to the symposium’s popularity are the opportunities it offers to create relationships that lead to new space ventures.

By the numbers

“This is an opportunity where you can get the world space community – government, civil, commercial, military and research (organizations) from every continent but Antarctica – together for one week in one location. It allows these people to meet, partner, share and build relationships that take everything they do to the next level,” said Rich Cooper, a foundation spokesman. That deal-making happens not only on the exhibit hall floor but continues at dozens of receptions, parties and other events during the symposium spread throughout the resort’s 2,500-acre campus.

Dan Tenney, vice president of strategy and business development for Lockheed Martin Space in Denver, said the company participates in the symposium because it “not only reinforces our investment in the space industry, but also our dedication to the Colorado community –  especially since the event takes place in our own backyard. We look forward to showcasing our innovative products and talented workforce at the Space Symposium this year, and are eager to help enable robust solutions for our customers.”

The symposium requires the efforts of all 110 foundation employees, an army of sponsors and exhibitors and 300 volunteers, who help with guest support and check-in, speaker and VIP support and security – and include a person who wears an astronaut costume for the entire event and is in high demand for photos with attendees.