ARS at the Small Satellite Conference 2026: 40 Years of Collaboration

This August, ARS is heading to the Small Satellite Conference 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The event runs August 23–26, 2026 at the Salt Palace Convention Center, and it’s shaping up to be a milestone year.

What Is the Small Satellite Conference?

Known across the industry simply as SmallSat, the conference is the small satellite community’s biggest annual gathering. Each year, it brings together engineers, mission designers, operators, and innovators from commercial, government, and academic backgrounds. Attendees can expect technical sessions, panel discussions, and a packed exhibit hall covering constellation design, launch, ground infrastructure, and satellite operations. In short, it’s where the industry compares notes on what’s working and where the field is headed next.

Celebrating 40 Years of SmallSat

This year’s event carries extra significance. SmallSat 2026 marks the conference’s 40th anniversary, and this year’s theme, “The Clouds Above the Clouds,” reflects how far the industry has come. What started as a small community working on shoestring budgets has grown into a global ecosystem powering today’s satellite constellations. These are systems of hundreds, even thousands, of satellites delivering data with millisecond latency. High-speed space networking, edge processing, and optimized ground infrastructure now define the industry’s next frontier, and this year’s program will spotlight the technologies driving that constellation success.

Why This Matters for ARS

For ARS, SmallSat 2026 is an opportunity to connect with the people and organizations shaping the next era of space and to contribute directly to the technical conversation.

During the conference, ARS will host a side meeting titled “Smart Dynamic Testing with Direct-Field Acoustic (DFA).” The session will provide an overview of how direct-field acoustic testing can support multiple dynamic testing applications, including acoustic qualification, experimental modal measurements, acoustic response testing, and workmanship screening.

Date: Monday, 24 August
Time: 3:25–4:10 p.m
Location: Room 251A

As the industry marks 40 years of collaboration, ARS looks forward to sharing its experience and taking part in the conversations shaping what comes next for small satellite testing.