“When the FAA released theirs on launch vehicle debris mitigation…I decided to write one just for fun,” she told Payload.

“At that moment, I knew there were futures beyond anything I’d imagined,” he said.

From testing astronaut medicines on the ISS to studying exoplanets, the Lithuanian-born researcher is turning once-abstract space dreams into practical steps for exploring beyond LEO.

As the leader of the electrical engineering team at Muon Space, Garett Goodale’s work boils down to one question: How do you build systems flexible enough for every customer, which can be built fast and cheap enough to be profitable?

Ishani Peddi knows that money makes the world go around—and that’s especially true when it comes to sustainability in orbit. 

Laney Miller’s coding keeps flying higher.

As a customer mission lead at French launcher Latitude, Clémence Cambourian turns rocket concepts into real missions—while keeping customers at the center. 

“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.”

While her University of Michigan undergrad ultimately focused on electric aircraft—as Saravanan is passionate about sustainable aviation—space continued to call to her, especially because “I couldn’t think of a more booming industry,” she said.

When lawmakers make policies that affect every corner of the space industry, Rachel Lindbergh is in the background, ensuring members of Congress understand the issues they’re trying to fix.

Savannah Horton has carved out a career at the intersection of aerospace and policy, turning complex science, engineering, and regulation into opportunities for industry growth and community access.

As the mission director of Rocket Lab’s upcoming Mars mission, she’s now leading exploration of the solar system she admired as a kid.