IAF Young Space Leaders (YSL) Recognition Programme
The IAF Young Space Leaders (YSL) Recognition Programme is awarded to exceptional students and young professionals, who contribute to astronautics in their academic or early careers, reach out to other young people and their communities to share knowledge and experiences, have been engaged with the international space community and contribute to IAF activities.
The IAF is proud to introduce the 2025 IAF Young Space Leaders!
The IAF Young Space Leaders Recognition Programme is awarded to exceptional students and young professionals, who contribute to astronautics in their academic or early careers, reach out to other young people and their communities to share knowledge and experiences, have been engaged with the international space community and contribute to IAF activities.
The 2025 IAF Young Space Leaders were chosen by a selection committee during the IAF Spring Meetings in March. They will be presented with their award during the Closing Ceremony of the 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) - IAC 2025, in Sydney, Australia which will take place from 29 September to 3 October 2025. Awardees also attend the IAC Gala Dinner as guests of the IAF President and enjoy a free IAC registration.
MEET THE 2025 IAF YOUNG SPACE LEADERS
Past YSL Winners
2024 Winners
Aysha ALHARAM
Chief of Satellite Design Department, Bahrain Space Agency
Bahrain
Hamza HAMEED
Senior Practice Manager, Space & Connectivity, Access Partnership, Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC)
Pakistan
Valentina LUCHETTI
Sales and Business Development Representative, Dcubed GmbH
Italy
Gina PETROVICI
UN-Affairs Department Legal Advisor, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR)
Germany
Carlos RODRIGUEZ
Chief Executive Officer, Orbital Space Technologies
Costa Rica
Takahiro SASAKI
Researcher, Research and Development Directorate, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Japan
2023 Winners
Tensae ALI
Sales Engineer, CubeSpace Satellite Systems
South Africa
Harriet BRETTLE
Head of Market Analysis and Business Intelligence, European Space Agency (ESA)
United Kingdom
Matias CAMPOS
CEO & Founder, Astralintu Space Technologies
Ecuador
Bethany DOWNER
hief Science Communications Officer, Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes, European Space Agency
United States
Manny SHAR
Managing Director, Orbit Fab
United Kingdom
2022 Winners
Sirisha BANDLA
Astronaut, Virgin Galactic L.L.C
United States
Dunay BADIRKHANOV
Acting Chair, Azercosmos Space Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Ozan KARA
Senior Researcher, Propulsion and Space, Technology Innovation Institute
United Arab Emirates
Mariam NASEEM
Planetary Science, University of Maryland, College Park
Canada
Antonino SALMERI
Space Lawyer, Lunar Policy Platform
Italy
Ruvimbo SAMANGA
Ambassador, MILO Space Science Institute
Zimbabwe
Maruška STRAH
Executive Manager, Space Sustainability Rating
Austria
Anthony YUEN
Formerly Assistant Professor, Weill Cornell Medicine
United States
2021 Winners
Elizabeth BARRIOS
Electronic Materials Engineer, Space Systems Department, Blue Origin
United States
Marco GOMEZ-JENKINS
Royal Society of Edinburgh Enterprise Fellow, University of Cambridge
Costa Rica
Kathryn ROBISON HASANI
Political scientist
United States
Danil IVANOV
Senior Researcher at Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics
Russia
Pierre-Alexis JOUMEL
General Secretary, EURO2MOON; Director International & New Business, Space Systems, Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
Germany
Ayami KOJIMA
Unit Chief of International Affairs, National Space Policy Secretariat (NSPS)
2020 Winners
Hiroki AKAGI
Deputy Director of Houston Office, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Japan
Chiara COCCHIARA
System Operations Engineer, EUMETSAT
Germany
Emmanuelle DAVID
Executive Director, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
Switzerland
Luis FERREIRA
Strategist, Airbus Defence and Space SA
Arnau PONS
Chair, Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC)
United States
Bruno SARLI
Scientist, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
2019 Winners
Olga STELMAKH DRESCHER
Director of Business Development and International Affairs
Matteo EMANUELLI
Manager, Future Radar Programmes, Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
Italy
João LOUSADA
Member, Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC)
Portugal
Avid ROMAN GONZALEZ
Scientist, Asociacion Civil Universidad de Ciencias y Humanidades
Peru
Mia BROWN
Scientist, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
United States
2018 Winners
Seyed Ali NASSERI
Implementation Support Officer, Moon Village Association (MVA), Executive Research Coordinator, University of British Columbia
Canada
Jackelynne SILVA-MARTINEZ
Engineer, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Peru
Michal KUNES
Project Manager, European Space Agency (ESA)
Czech Republic
2017 Winners
Minoo RATHNASABAPATHY
Research Engineer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
United States
Patrick HAMBLOCH
Research engineer, University of Alabama in Huntsville
Stephanie WAN
Systems Analyst, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Timiebi AGANABA JEANTY
Assistant Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Appointed at the Sandra Day O Connor College of Law, Arizona State University
United States
Laszlo BACSARDI
Secretary General, Hungarian Astronautical Society (MANT)
Hungary
2016 Winners
Jessica CULLER
Acting news chief, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
United States
Takashi OHTANI
Associate Senior Engineer, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Japan
Victoria ALONSOPEREZ
Founder and CEO, Chipsafer
Singapore
Andrea BOYD
Deputy Lead of Astronaut Operations and EUROCOM, stationed at the European Astronaut Centre
Germany
Amalio MONZON
Head of Engineering Quality Wing Development, Airbus Defence and Space SA
2015 Winners
Ryan L. KOBRICK
Integrated Product Team Lead, Paragon Space Development Corporation
United States
Yu XIAOZHOU
Vice director, Shaanxi Engineering Laboratory for Microsatellites
Lulu MAKAPELA
Strategic Programmes Contracts Manager for SA-GEO, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
South Africa
Christopher VASKO
Optical and Quantum Innovation Engineer, European Space Agency (ESA)
Liz SEWARD
Senior Strategist, Space Systems, Airbus Ltd.
United Kingdom
2014 Winners
Michael BRETT
Co-Chair, Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC)
Australia
Andrea JAIME ALBALAT
Business Developer, Isar Aerospace Technologies GmbH
Germany
Yusuke MURAKI
Strategic Space Producer, Space Entertainment Promotion Office, Sony Group Corporation
Japan
2013 Winners
Julio APREA
Project Management of Space Systems Development, European Space Agency (ESA)
Kimberley CLAYFIELD
Research Director, CSIRO Astronomy & Space Science
Australia
Kat CODERRE
Deputy Manager for Deep Space Exploration Advanced Programs, Lockheed Martin Corporation
United States
Jacob SUTHERLUN
International Relations Specialist, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
United States
Trong THU VU
National Point of Contact for Vietnam, Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC)
Vietnam
2012 Winners
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