How to Hack Your Way to Space - Democratizing Space Exploration

Explore the revolutionary journey of the Libre Space Foundation in this conference talk on open-source space exploration. Discover how a community of hackers and makers is challenging traditional defense-driven approaches to spacefaring by embracing open-source technologies, community collaboration, and sustainability. Learn about the current state of the space ecosystem, its limitations, and how the hacker ethos is being applied to democratize space access. Understand the unique challenges faced by this movement, including working with limited resources, developing software and hardware, navigating complex space laws, and ensuring long-term sustainability. Examine the proposed four-pillar manifesto focusing on open source, open data, open development, and open governance to create a more inclusive and sustainable space ecosystem. Gain insights from speakers Manthos Papamatthaiou and Alfredos Damkalis on how to participate in and contribute to the future of space exploration.