Satellite conference, millions in revenue to leave Logan for Salt Lake

An annual international conference that brought millions in revenue to Logan announced Tuesday it is moving to Salt Lake City.

The Small Satellite Conference, or SmallSat, is an international gathering of academic, government and industry members, and has been held in Logan for the past 38 years. Starting in 2025, it will move to the Salt Palace Convention Center, which organizers say can better support the growing demand for attendees and presenters.

The last SmallSat in Logan wrapped up in early August, and included presenters from Germany, Japan, Sweden, New Zealand and others. As small satellite technology and markets advance, more people are able to understand research that means nothing to a layperson — equatorial plasma bubbles, extragalactic background light and stellar occultation hypertemporal imaging, for example.

"SmallSat's purpose is, and always has been, to help the small satellite community advance technology by bringing people together to share ideas and lessons learned, build relationships, and together help chart the course for the future of the small satellite industry," Pat Patterson, chairman of SmallSat, said in a prepared statement.

The big reasons for the move, appropriate for a satellite conference, are space and time. Organizers are hoping to compress the schedule and cut out weekend sessions, while maintaining the same amount of content. To do this, they chose to host the conference at a venue with "more space for technical sessions, side meetings and meals all in one centralized location," the release said.

With more affordable hotels within walking distance, more potential attendees will be able to afford to make the trip.

"As more people express interest in participating in SmallSat, conference organizers recognized the need for increased capacity to support the growing demand," Patterson said. "Moving to the Salt Palace Convention Center ensures that the conference can continue to deliver an exceptional experience for its attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors well into the future."

Logan businesses will feel the loss of significant income they have enjoyed every August. Cache Valley Visitors Bureau Director Julie Hollist Terrill released revenue figures to SpaceNews earlier this week, showing an estimated $6.4 million was brought to the area from the 2024 conference, over two-thirds of that coming from lodging and restaurants.