Payload Pioneers 2024

Benjamin Kron, SAIC

While he’s helping the government figure out how to keep the current generation of astronauts safe and sound, Benjamin Kron is also drumming up excitement among the next generation of space fans. 

Payload Pioneers 2024

Shaurya Luthra, Northwood Space

“You can have the satellites, but if you can’t talk to them, it doesn’t really help at all,” Shaurya Luthra, cofounder and head of software at Northwood Space, told Payload. “We believe the ground industry of today is not ready for that boom.”

Payload Pioneers 2024

Jeremiah Pate, Lunasonde

The AZ-based startup uses a blend of SAR, robotic systems, and proprietary software to hunt for resources beneath the surface of both Earth and other bodies in space, such as asteroids.

Payload Pioneers 2024

Ari Rosner, True Anomaly

“I turned to the partners at Riot and said, ‘We should invest in this’…but I also turned to the partners and said, ‘Hey, I want to go and join them.’” That’s how Rosner wound up the second hire and head of product at True Anomaly

Payload Pioneers 2024

Pierre Rouzaud, Space Crew

When Rouzaud went to turn his lifelong interest in space and experience as a software developer into a career, he quickly discovered that the act of finding a job in the industry was no simple task. So he founded Space Crew, an aggregator of space industry jobs.  

Payload Pioneers 2024

Roxanna Pakkar, Rocket Lab

Roxanna Pakkar grew up in space hardware’s backyard—on the west side of LA, where her high school robotics team sought mentorship from engineers at nearby Boeing, Raytheon, and SpaceX facilities.