At the recent Osaka Expo, Global Spaceport Alliance Chairman Dr. George Nield served as a keynote speaker and panel chair during a landmark session on spaceports and the growing space economy. The session, hosted by the Puglia Region at the Italy Pavilion, brought together spaceport leaders from Italy, Japan, and the United States to explore how spaceports are transforming from launch pads into innovation hubs driving economic opportunity.
“Spaceports are not just gateways to orbit—they are catalysts for research, manufacturing, training, and economic growth,” Dr. Nield said. His keynote traced the evolution of commercial spaceflight and the pivotal role that spaceports play in the expanding trillion-dollar global space economy.
Dr. Nield emphasized that the future of space access will be shaped by public-private partnerships, global regulatory harmonization, and spaceports that serve as integrated ecosystems—not just launch sites. He also spotlighted case studies like Houston Spaceport and underscored the rising demand for suborbital travel, aerospace training, and point-to-point transport.
Panel representatives from the Japan Spaceport Association, ENAC (Italian Civil Aviation Authority), Spaceport America, Hokkaido Spaceport, and others echoed the call for international collaboration. Key topics included infrastructure readiness, regulatory frameworks, and the role of education and workforce development in advancing spaceport viability.
As spaceports emerge worldwide, the Global Spaceport Alliance continues to foster international cooperation and share best practices to support their sustainable growth. Dr. Nield closed the session by reaffirming GSA’s commitment to global engagement: “With shared vision and partnership, spaceports can help us unlock access to space for communities across the planet—and beyond.”
