Back for the third year, Via Satellite recognizes a new class of 25 Rising Stars — a group of young professionals shaping the future of the space and satellite industry. These 25 young professionals nominated by their colleagues are making significant contributions to their companies — whether that’s in engineering, policy and regulation, business development, and more.
The 2026 cohort of Rising Stars was selected based on specific contributions to their companies and the space and satellite industry at large, detailed by their nominators. These Rising Stars are 35 and under and represent a diverse group of young professionals from a range of companies, job functions, and countries.
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Rana Alshaeri, Senior Legal and Policy Advisor, Neo Space Group, 29
Rana Alshaeri is one to watch in Saudi Arabia. Alshaeri is one of the first Saudi women with a dedicated background in space policy, and brings a combination of legal, regulatory, policy, and strategic expertise to the sector.
As well as her role as a senior legal and policy advisor at Neo Space Group (NSG), Alshaeri is an advocate of women in digitalization, technology, and space. Alshaeri has been in the space industry for around five years, and was the first and only candidate accepted into the space policy track under a highly selective Saudi Space Agency scholarship program and also represented Saudi Arabia in the Young Arab Diplomatic Leaders Program alongside delegates from 13 Arab countries. Alshaeri reflects a new generation of Saudi professionals helping shape the future of the space sector.
Ankita Baliarsingh, Senior Product Manager, Iridium, 34
As a senior product manager for Iridium, Ankita Baliarsingh specializes in understanding customer behavior and building products that solve real problems. Over the past year, she led the development and release of Iridium Chat, the companion messaging experience for the Iridium GO! exec device, a product that was honored with the Mobile Satellite Users Association Land Mobility Innovation Award.
Baliarsingh’s manager, Omar Azad, director of Product Management at Iridium, says that she has the strength as a product leader to identify value, build innovative solutions, and drive initiatives to completion. “She can run design reviews with engineers, gate reviews with executives, and escalation calls with partners — and be trusted in all three — because she pairs genuine technical depth from her telecom and network engineering background with strong business judgment and a gift for turning complex technical, regulatory, and operational topics into clear decision points.”
Renee (Frohnert) Barlow, Senior Director, Space & Launch, Karman Space & Defense, 32
As senior director of Space & Launch at Karman Space & Defense, Renee Barlow leads space growth strategy with a more than $100 million portfolio. Barlow has strong business development experience in the space across Lockheed Martin, L3Harris Technologies, and Terran Orbital corporation. During the Artemis program, Barlow helped bridge the gap between a technical industry and the public, speaking about Karman’s role in supporting the Artemis program on local media and The Weather Channel. She is also a graduate of the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences Scientist-Astronaut Program. Industry colleague Megan Bennett calls Barlow a “strategic powerhouse.” “She is kind, caring and crafts thoughtful teams wherever she goes. Her business prowess is also unmatched. She conducts outreach regularly and always speaks highly, even of her competitors to ensure the space industry becomes healthier overall,” Bennett says.
Dr. Rachit Bhatia, Principal GNC Engineer I, CesiumAstro, 33
Dr. Rachit Bhatia, principal engineer GNC engineer for CesiumAstro, will be one of the people that shapes how the space industry handles collision risk and space debris over the next decades, says industry colleague Umanga Balasuriya of Millennial Software. Over the past year, Bhatia developed a new framework for orbit propagation and estimation that changes how to propagate and estimate a satellite’s orbit with atmospheric drag. Industry colleagues say it provides a more trustworthy estimate of where a satellite is. Bhatia has expertise in estimation theory, spacecraft GNC, communications, and the policy side of space safety. “I meet a lot of brilliant researchers whose work never leaves the page. Rachit is the other kind, the kind who builds things people can actually use, and that is the trait I bet on,” says mentor Srikanth Kodeboyina, CEO of Blue Eye Soft Corp.
Reilly Blair, Manager – Space Systems, Deloitte, 31
Reilly Blair has led Deloitte’s space operations team where over the past 12 months he has led the on-orbit deployment and operations of Silent Shield, a cyber defense payload for satellites, operating aboard Deloitte-1. Under his leadership, the Deloitte team successfully employed a cyber intrusion detection system on-orbit as well as launched over 24 cyber attacks against its satellite to evaluate the ability of Silent Shield to detect and respond to real cyber attacks against an operational satellite. Blair’s work is advancing the cyber resiliency of space-based systems for a safer space enterprise. Deloitte Principal Ryan Roberts says Blair brings a unique combination of technical know-how, innovative thinking, people skills, and a team-first attitude that has made him a star in Deloitte’s efforts here.
Gabrielle D’Amico, Army Sales Manager, Lite Coms, 29
As U.S. Army sales manager for VSAT designer and manufacturer Lite Coms, Gabrielle D’Amico fields satellite terminals to multiple divisions in the U.S. Army. Her work has taken her across the U.S. and Korea, directly supporting Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced (ESB-E) units by demonstrating and providing training on satellite terminals. Over four years at Lite Coms, D’Amico previously ran supply chain and helped the company navigate through one of the most challenging supply chain environments.
Lite Coms President and CEO Bob Jacobson says the relationships D’Amico cultivates with suppliers and customers are key to her success. “She takes on all tasks, helps in every way possible and has the highest energy level. She follows through on every detail and follows up on every action item,” he says.
Maj. Andrew N. Ermitano, SpaceWERX Ventures Deputy, 31
Over the last 12 months, Maj. Andrew N. Ermitano has led a holistic revamp of the SpaceWERX SBIR contract award process, including everything from funds management, company evaluations, and U.S. Space Force mission alignment. SpaceWERX Deputy Director Lt. Col. Vinny Pande says that Ermitano’s innovations in how small businesses in the space community align with demand signals and SBIR funding has resulted in a program that has created six companies worth over $1 billion, and many more that have had other levels of success serving the mission.
Ermitano, who has been in the industry around six years, is complimented for his ability to piece together knowledge across finance, contracting, program management, innovation, tech scouting, private capital, and multiple other verticals to create unique acquisition and capital pathways for space startups. Commercial Space Office Director Col. Tim Trimailo calls Ermitano “a future senior leader for the U.S. Space Force.”
Sydney Flippin, Embedded Software Engineer, Comtech, 25
Sydney Flippin, embedded software engineer, is one of the bright talents at Comtech. In the last year, she helped take Comtech’s latest generation modems from Geostationary Orbit (GEO)-only heritage to true multi-orbit capability. Working closely with the company’s senior modem engineers, she supported five total certifications with a leading Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) network. As the primary owner of Comtech’s network management system (NMS) orchestrator, she made complex certification and operational workflows repeatable, observable, and dependable. Flippin has also modernized user experience of Comtech’s DCG 7000 multi-orbit satellite modem, making status and controls easier for operators, then demonstrated multi orbit capability live during SATShow Week. “She connects backend orchestration, modem integration, and operator experience without losing sight of the mission, then brings the right people into the room and gets them moving in the same direction,” says Jason McCollum, vice president of Software & Security for Comtech.
Eléonore Fontanges, Head of Assembly, Integration, Testing (AIT), Swissto12, 34
In less than three years at Swissto12, Eléonore Fontanges is credited with building up the industrial capabilities and associated assembly, integration and testing (AIT) infrastructure required to deliver the company’s small-GEO spacecraft to customers. Fontanges has commissioned a dedicated infrastructure including a 1000 square meter ISO8 cleanroom and developed the industrial partnerships required to turn an ambitious project like HummingSat into reality. Vice President of Industrialization and Production Gregory Carrier says, “building up the entire industrial capacity for delivering GEO satellites from zero is no small feat, all while hiring a competent team in parallel – in a country with a very limited aerospace sector.” She is playing a key role in of the success of one of the industry’s most talked about companies.
Ben Griggs, Mission Concept Engineer, Open Cosmos, 23
Ben Griggs is a mission concept engineer already making a name for himself at Open Cosmos at only 23 years old. Griggs was recently selected to lead the mission concept engineering function for APAC, becoming the point of contact for opportunities in this key region. Griggs development has been impressive. He has progressed from a graduate engineer just two years ago to a trusted commercial-technical contributor within Open Cosmos.
As a Mission Concept Engineer, Griggs works between Open Cosmos’ technical delivery teams and business development colleagues, which requires the ability to understand a customer’s ambition, interrogate the technical requirements, assess current capabilities, identify additional development, and package it into a proposal. “He is strong at listening, asking the right questions and working with colleagues across different teams, geographies and technical disciplines,” says Griggs’ manager Bartomeu Massuti Ballester.
J.T. Herrscher, Guidance, Navigation, & Control Hardware Engineer, Muon Space, 26
After starting at Muon Space as an intern, and just two years into his professional career, J.T. Herrscher is credited with being the sole person responsible for the attitude control hardware that flies on Muon Space’s satellites, including reaction wheels, star trackers, torque rods, and gyros. He delivered flight-qualified hardware for nine satellites and owns the full lifecycle of these components, which includes sizing analysis and vendor management to acceptance testing and on-orbit support.
Herrscher is known to go the extra mile. “During demanding campaigns he is the first to step up, volunteering for overnight thermal vacuum chamber and launch support shifts and flying to a vendor on short notice to resolve a hardware issue threatening the program schedule,” Muon Space CEO Jonathan Dyer says. Herrscher’s influence at Muon Space spans engineering, supplier relationships, and business development, and he takes a deep investment in the success of those around him.
Mathias Gjerstad Høgden, ASBM Senior Engineer, Space Norway, 29
Mathias Høgden is an engineer on the rise at Space Norway. He started his career as a flight dynamics engineer six years ago at the company and has now advanced to the role of senior engineer within the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM) project, which launched just under two years ago.
Here, Høgden played a key role in the buildup and planning of a new operations center where he is now a senior engineer. He leads the flight dynamics group, trains new personnel, and helps ensure that operations run as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Høgden and his team have also developed valuable internal digital tools and technologies that have significantly improved operational efficiency. Tinna Gunnarsdottir, ASBM satellite operations manager, says he has a combination of technical excellence and genuine commitment to others, and is a mentor to the team.
Dhruv Jain, Astrodynamics Engineer, Kayhan Space Corp, 26
Dhruv Jain combines an expertise in astrodynamics with an understanding of business priorities that allows him to move between technical and operational work. Over the last year, Jain led Kayhan Space’s work as a data curation provider supporting Joint Commercial Operations (JCO), a U.S. Space Force-led effort that brings together commercial capabilities with allied cooperation to strengthen space domain awareness. On the business side, he has also been instrumental in Kayhan’s expansion into India, with responsibilities spanning contracts, legal coordination, hiring, and training.
Kayhan Space CEO Siamak Hesar says that Jain is an exceptionally dependable teammate who brings maturity, practicality, and calm to demanding situations. “He understands how research can inform operations, how operations can sharpen products, and how business growth can expand our ability to serve customers and advance safer spaceflight,” Hesar says.
Taeyeoun Kim, Assistant Professor, Department of Information and Communication Engineering, Myongji University, 29
Dr. Taeyeoun Kim’s work is focused on the gap between commercial telecom deployment and next-generation academic research in non-terrestrial networks (NTN). After working as a specialist researcher at a major Korean telecommunications operator LG Uplus, Kim transitioned to academia to establish a research agenda centered on AI-native satellite networks. Last year, Kim co-authored and drove the adoption of a critical use case 3GPP Technical Report dealing with seamless network coordination and roaming between satellite constellations and terrestrial operators.
Yonghwa Lee of Hanwha Systems, a senior doctoral alumnus from the same satellite laboratory as Kim, says he has a unique trajectory and technical vision that will help shape satellite in the 6G ecosystem. “He excels at translating complex terrestrial paradigms—such as network slicing, edge computing orchestration, and intelligent routing—into viable, space-qualified software solutions,” Lee says.
Steven Kosvick, Constellation Architect, Iceye US, 30
As a constellation architect for Iceye US, Steven Kosvick is credited with designing and helping to implement a constellation plan that expanded the company’s 24-hour ground track repeat (GTR) coverage to nearly 80 percent of the globe in under one year. His contributions improved change-detection analytics capabilities, directly advancing the availability of reliable, analytics ready Earth Observation data.
As an astrodynamics engineer, Kosvick is able to connect operational, technical, and customer considerations and turn them into executable orbit plans. “He pairs rigorous orbital mechanics with practical systems thinking, translating complex maintenance requirements into operational acquisition plans that perform reliably at fleet scale. This combination of astrodynamics depth, constellation-scale systems thinking, and disciplined execution distinguishes him from his peers,” says Kosvick’s former manager, Leola Moss.
Benjamin Kron, Senior Manager, Cyber, Space and National Security Policy, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 28
Over roughly seven years in the space industry, Benjamin Kron has worked across York Space Systems, supported the Federal Aviation Administration while at SAIC, and now drives space and satellite policy advocacy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the SmallSat Alliance. He moves the needle by bringing people together and shaping discussions, and is credited with co-leading the Miami Space Summit, which brought together government, industry, and private capital for policy discussions.
He’s described as a “force multiplier” by John Neal, who serves as vice president of Space Policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and SmallSat Alliance Chairman Charles Beames says he’s one of the most effective policy operators. “Ben makes the people around him better. He surfaces the implications of a regulatory filing or a memo before anyone else has processed it. He’s the kind of teammate who makes the whole organization look sharper and does it without needing the credit,” Beames says.
Carolyn Mahoney, Acting Chief, Satellite Programs and Policy Division, FCC Space Bureau, 35
Carolyn Mahoney is an emerging leader in satellite policy in government. Mahoney joined the FCC less than three years ago with a legal background in telecoms and has risen from an attorney advisor to the Space Bureau to now serving as acting chief of the Space Bureau’s Satellite Programs and Policy division. In this role, she will play a central role in developing satellite policy including facilitating the deployment of next generation satellite broadband providers. Space Bureau Chief Jay Schwarz says she has been a critical leader in the FCC’s ongoing rulemaking to modernize satellite regulations and licensing processes, which have received broad industry support.
“Colleagues routinely turn to her for insight on foreign ownership questions raised in satellite applications and for navigating challenging issues associated with complex satellite applications. Her expertise and judgment have earned her broad respect within the Space Bureau, throughout the FCC, and across federal agencies,” Schwarz says.
Takuya Miyashita, Assistant Manager – Communications Engineering, Space Compass Corporation, 30
Takuya Miyashita is an engineering talent at Space Compass, a JV between NTT and Sky Perfect JSAT. Miyashita’s technical involvement in the process that led to the establishment of Japan’s new regulatory framework for HAPS Q-band fixed-service operations — a milestone that unlocks the path toward commercial HAPS connectivity in Japan. Central to Miyashita’s work was the project management of a Q-band ground-station antenna program, driving it from design coordination through fabrication to RF testing. CTO Yasuhiko Morita says that Miyashita is now seen as a go-to technical authority for both internal teams and external partners when rigorous, defensible inputs are required. By leading a Q-band antenna program end-to-end, he developed practical insight that he then translated into policy-grade technical analysis. He has only been in the industry a short time, yet his impact is already strong, and he is definitely one to watch in Japan and beyond.
Raouia Ouerheni, Product Portfolio GTM Manager, Eutelsat, 29
As a product portfolio GTM manager at Eutelsat, Raouia Ouerheni recently helped Eutelsat’s Video Business Unit transition from traditional capacity-led offerings towards a more structured, future-ready built around IP-based distribution (DVB-NIP) and hybrid GEO/LEO architectures, a not insignificant achievement. Ouerheni has led, designed and executed a global enablement program, coordinating 26 training sessions, achieving 97 percent participation, covering both GEO video services and emerging LEO use cases, accelerating adoption of new technologies and reducing time-to-market.
“She acts as a bridge between engineering, product, and commercial teams, ensuring that innovation is effectively transformed into market adoption, clearly positioned, commercially relevant, and easy for global teams to explain to customers,” says Video business unit President Aymeric Genty. Ouerhani has been in the industry for around seven years and is one of the new leaders at Eutelsat who is helping the operator position itself for a brighter future.
Yaşar Ozan Türkcan, Software Engineering Team Lead, Plan-S Satellite and Space Technologies, 32
As software engineer team lead for Turkish IoT startup Plan-S Satellite and Space Technologies, Yaşar Ozan Türkcan’s work builds the software and integration foundations required to connect, manage, and scale a large number of IoT devices with satellite connectivity. Over the past year, Türkcan played a key role in the integration infrastructure for a project that supported satellite connectivity for 200,000 modems for one of Turkey’s leading mobile operators. Türkcan is highly valued for his skills at the intersection of software engineering, customer integration, and operational scalability.
“As satellite and terrestrial networks become more interconnected, professionals who can build and lead the software layer between space infrastructure and telecom-grade customer environments will become increasingly important. I believe he represents the kind of emerging technical leader the satellite industry needs,” says CTO Gökmen Cengiz.
Jillian M. Quigley, Associate, Wiley Rein LLP, 34
After joining Wiley Rein as an associate four years ago, Jillian Quigley has become an “indispensable” member of the firm’s Space and Satellite practice. One key example of this was her work to advise Intelsat during the merger with SES, where she assisted with regulatory due diligence, responding to government information requests, and obtaining FCC approval to transfer Intelsat’s many spectrum licenses and allow the transaction to move forward. Quigley has successfully challenged laws, clarified rules, and represented clients in precedent-setting matters. She has also developed expertise in emerging domestic and international regulatory frameworks and is an amateur astronomer.
“As the space and satellite sector reinvents itself beyond traditional telecommunications, the rapid development of new technologies has resulted in increasingly complex regulatory frameworks. Jillian helps satellite clients navigate these challenges in keeping with their strategic priorities, business objectives, and operational capabilities,” Wiley colleagues Jennifer D. Hindin and Henry Gola say.
Kelin Rivera, Connectivity Technical Manager, Kymeta, 33
As connectivity technical manager for Kymeta, Kelin Rivera led a major iDirect network management system upgrade spanning multiple commercial and government satellite networks. She developed and documented the implementation strategy, testing and validation framework and risk mitigation approach while effectively coordinating strategy meetings with stakeholders across operations, engineering, iDirect/ST Engineering and teleport teams. Rivera’s disciplined planning and execution resulted in a seamless migration with minimal customer disruption. Her work contributed to more reliable satellite communications for both commercial and government users. “She has a strong grasp of the complexities of satellite network operations, but more importantly, she excels at translating that complexity into actionable end-to-end solutions,” says Christine Lawson, Kymeta vice president of Connectivity. Rivera began her journey in the satellite industry in 2017 and is on a path of growth.
Lexie Roberts, RF Engineer Senior, Lockheed Martin Space, 27
As the radio frequency (RF) communications front‑end owner for a military satellite program, Lexie Roberts steers hardware from concept through production and test, coordinating mechanical, electronics‑drafting, RF and program teams. With just five years of experience, Roberts directs teams of seven to 10 engineers while mentoring junior staff and providing ross‑functional communication.
Chris Ashworth, RF Engineering manager, Lockheed Martin Space, says that Roberts brings together deep RF board experience with leadership and has saved teams hundreds of engineering hours with her problem-solving. “In the past year she led two high‑profile programs through successful design reviews, and her chief engineer praised her ownership and advocacy. Her combination of deep technical ability and strong leadership positions her as a standout rising star,” Ashworth says.
Amy Robinson, Associate, HWG LLP, 33
Amy Robinson, an associate at HWG LLP is making a name for herself in space legal circles. Robinson has only been in the industry four years but is already leaving a mark. Recently, she served as the lead associate on the regulatory execution of SpaceX’s $17 billion acquisition of AWS-4 and H-Block wireless spectrum licenses from EchoStar, marking one of the largest spectrum transactions in U.S. telecommunications history and a foundational deal in the advancement of the direct-to-device (D2D) industry. HWG LLP Partner Paul Caritj says Robinson has become the associate the Satellite & Commercial Space practice relies on across its most significant client relationships. Robinson also played an integral role in securing FCC authorization for additional Capella Space earth-sensing satellites and filed comments in FCC proceedings that could shape the next decade in space industry regulation.
Juan Velasquez, Senior RF Engineer II, Rocket Lab, 32
As an RF systems engineer II at Rocket Lab USA, Juan Velasquez recently served as the pathfinder leading the RF TT&C subsystem assembly, integration, test, and delivery for Rocket Lab’s first satellite constellation of 17 Lightning spacecraft. Also, Velasquez has also been a core member of the mission team supporting NASA/UC Berkeley’s ESCAPADE mission to Mars and subject matter expert for the single board Frontier-S radio. RF Products Manager Jomya Lei cites his work ethic and influence, saying “Juan is very detail oriented which encourages other teammates to match his precision. Several team members have said Juan is their role model in making sure all deliverables are kept to higher standards.” VS
