The 17th International Symposium on Materials in the Space Environment (ISMSE) and the 15th International Conference on Protection of Materials in Space Environment (ICPMSE) will be held in Bordeaux, organized by CNES in partnership with ESA, ONERA, and our industrial partner ITL
These conferences will address both fundamental and applied aspects of materials exposed to:
- Space environments and extreme conditions
- Ground-based specific environments and testing constraints
- Flight experiments and in-orbit return of experience
- Contamination phenomena and cleanliness control
- Materials, processes, and “clean space” approaches
A particular focus will be placed on the effects of space and extreme environments on material performance, durability, and reliability, including synergistic effects such as atomic oxygen, radiation, UV exposure, thermal cycling, vacuum, micro-meteoroids, and debris.
Dedicated sessions will cover contamination physics, molecular transport and deposition, mitigation strategies, and the development of advanced materials and surface treatments for harsh environments. Contributions addressing emerging challenges are also encouraged, including:
- Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) and planetary environments
- Advanced ground simulation techniques
- Novel materials and manufacturing processes
- Digitalisation, modelling, data-driven approaches, and AI-assisted materials engineering
- Clean Space strategies and environmentally responsible technologies
Despite some delay for the launch of the conference website, the platform is currently being finalised, and the call for abstracts is expected to be released shortly.
We thank you for your understanding and assure you that all efforts are being made to maintain the established conference schedule.
Please, see hereafter a provisional timeline that should be consolidated soon to facilitate planning:
- Website release: Mid-March 2026
- Call for abstracts & call for exhibition: Mid-March 2026
- Registration opening: April 2026
- Paper selection: June 2026
- Notification to authors: End of June 2026
- Preliminary program: Early July 2026
- Final program: September 2026
- Conference: 5–9 October 2026
Please note that this timeline is provisional and may be subject to minor adjustments. Any updates will be communicated promptly.
We look forward to welcoming the international community to Bordeaux for a productive and forward-looking scientific event
Elisabeth Laurent (chair, CNES) for ISMSE organization committee
Guillaume Rioland (co-chair CNES)
Adrian Tighe (co-chair, ESA)
Sarah Rodriguez Castillo (co-chair, ESA)
Sophie Duzellier (co-chair, ONERA)
Jean-François Roussel (co-chair, ONERA)
Simon Lewandowski (co-chair, ONERA)
Jacob Kleiman (co-chair, ITL)
