Payload Pioneers 2025

Roohi Dalal, American Astronomical Society

When Roohi Dalal joined the American Astronomical Society (AAS) as its deputy director of public policy in 2024, she never imagined she’d be leading the fight for space science just one year later as NASA science budgets are in the federal crosshairs.

Payload Pioneers 2025

Ilsa Mroz, Planet Labs

Mroz grew up watching Star Wars and Star Trek, and hiking in remote areas “where I felt much closer to the sky than anywhere else,” she said. As she got older, however, struggles with mathematics put her dream of being an astronaut in doubt. 

Payload Pioneers 2025

Rebecca van Burken, ispace US

“It’s the closest I could get to getting a rocket science experience, without getting a STEM degree,” she told Payload. “I love the idea that you’re never done learning.”

Lunar

Open Lunar Foundation Launches Lunar Ledger

The Open Lunar Foundation established a shared database for Moon-mission operators to share information—in a bid to boost transparency as traffic picks up on Earth’s natural satellite.

LaunchVC/PE

Stoke Raises $510M To Accelerate Nova Rocket Launch

The round, which brings Stoke’s total fundraising to $990M, will enable the launcher to boost production of Nova, complete its work at Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, and prepare for its expected high launch cadence.

Polaris

Welcome to the FCC’s ‘Space Month’

FCC Chair Brendan Carr previewed some to-dos for the agency to make the US “the friendliest regulatory environment in the world for innovators to start, to grow, and to accelerate their space operations.”

CivilInternationalLEO

China Calls NASA On Orbital Conjunction

China’s message to the US space agency urged the American spacecraft to stay put while Beijing maneuvered its own assets, NASA space sustainability director Drew Alvin said during a panel at the International Astronautical Congress, noting that it’s “the first time that has ever happened.”