The head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) underscored the need for sustained cooperation among nations to achieve significant milestones in space exploration endeavors.

The Guardian reported that NASA chief Charles Bolden declared during the opening day of the 62nd International Astronautical Congress (IAC) that because of the ongoing economic crisis worldwide, it is not possible for just one country to dominate this field.

The IAC is the largest yearly gathering of the international space community which is meeting in African for the first time.

The conference was attended by representatives of the European, Russian, Japanese and Indian space agencies. Conspicuously missing were delegates from China.

As this took place, the NASA divulged plans to create a new rocket known as the Space Launch System (SLS) which is expected to launch the first unmanned test flight in 2017.

The rocket is described to be 20 percent more powerful than the Saturn V missiles and each of the boosters will provide 4 to 5 million pounds of thrust, according to Xinhua News Agency.

Bolden and his European Space Agency counterpart, Jean-Jacques Dordain announced that discussions regarding their joint Mars exploration program are still being conducted.

However, the NASA chief expressed optimism that the James Webb Space Telescope scheduled for launching in 2016 to replace the ageing Hubble telescope will get the nod of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The IAC has brought together around 2,000 scientists from all over the world to Cape Town.

Its African debut comes at a moment the continent is reaching for the stars, notably with its bid to host the world's biggest radio telescope, the Square Kilometer Array, the Guardian cited in its report.

Both South Africa and Nigeria have allegedly launched two satellites built by local engineers.

The event is expected to fortify collaboration between African space experts and the rest of the world.

"We will cooperate with African countries on the use of space data and technologies for the benefit of African people, be it in the field of telecommunications or data management or telecoms or navigations," exclaimed Russia's space agency head Vladimir Popovkin.

The organizer of the conference Peter Martinez described the event as important in changing negative opinions about the African continent.

"Holding a conference now is very timely for Africa because it attracts world attention to Africa."