Payload Pioneers 2026
It’s that time again! Payload is thrilled to introduce you to our 2026 Pioneers—a 30-under-30 for the space industry.
This is our fourth year of recognizing the rising stars of the space industry, and it might be our most diverse group yet. From cofounders to engineers, consultants to investors, government officials and academic researchers, this group of Pioneers proves that young space professionals are doing incredible things in every corner of the industry.
We received more than 100 nominations this year. Our panel of three judges (who are all former Pioneers themselves) then evaluated nominees on how well they aligned with the criteria of innovation, promotion, and transformation in the space industry.
Maximillian Bhatti, Basalt
Max Bhatti’s recipe for success in the space industry is one part luck, and nine parts hustle.
Robert Ihnatisin, Orbital Matter
As an expert in 3D printing for terrestrial applications, Robert Ihnatisin was surprised by how slow the in-orbit manufacturing industry was progressing. So, naturally, he started a company to solve the problem himself.
Patrick Miga, Advanced Space
In first grade, Patrick Miga saw a photo of Neptune (snapped by the Voyager 2 spacecraft).. Ever since then, his life has been directed toward space.
Muhammad Hunain, Melagen Labs
“That’s where I realized we’re stuck at a 1980s standard: still shielding spacecraft with aluminum, and rad-hardened electronics [were] too expensive to build at the scale this economy demands,” Hunain told Payload.
Dhruv Jain, Kayhan Space
When Dhruv Jain transferred to a new school, he joined the astronomy club on a whim. Soon, he was chasing meteor showers and tracking the transit of Venus—and now, more than a decade later, he’s built a career helping space companies track objects in orbit.
Camille Bergin, Star Catcher
To many young space enthusiasts scrolling on TikTok, Camille Bergin is the face of the industry.
Arpi Beshlikyan, Northwood Space
Arpi Beshlikyan’s top priority is making a big impact. Right now, space is the vehicle allowing her to do that.
Marc Galobardes Esteban, Amura Space
Marc Galobardes Esteban cofounded Amura Space (formerly known as CISGAM Inc.) in 2025, to rethink how the space industry approaches propulsion in orbit.
Louis Reitmann, Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation
“Many of the geopolitical issues that we see in the nuclear weapons space are replicated when it comes to space security issues,” he said.
Naresh Kannan, OrbitAID
“My primary goal was to build the credibility of this domain in India,” he said. “Everyone was thinking, ‘This is a little bit too far-fetched.’”
Isobel Porteous, EarthTraq
What do a bird, a shipping container, and a polar bear have in common? They can all be tracked with tech from EarthTraq.
Clay Ito, OpenC3
“We just want people to get started so they can focus on the mission, and not all the tinkering,” he added.
Risha Das, MIT
Space is now widely viewed as the newest warfighting domain. Ritisha (Risha) Das is working to make sure it can be used for peace as well.
