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2026 Finalists

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Engineer of the Year - Academic/Research

Arnick Abdollahi, University of Technology Sydney

Cheryl McCarthy, University of Southern Queensland

Engineer of the Year - Space Industry

Amjed Ahmed Arifeen, Zendir

Yolanda Dimech, Yolanda Dimech & Marine Rescue Queensland

Ranjith Obeyesekera, K-HART International
Jack Orton, Hypersonix Launch Systems
James Robertson, Neumann Space
Josh Sloman, Hypersonix Launch Systems
Simone Wilson, Hypersonix Launch Systems
Nic Zettl, Gilmour Space Technologies

Executive of the Year

Mahjabin Akter, Spiral Blue

James Bennett, Electro Optic Systems

Gabrielle Caswell, Spaceport Australia
Matt Hill, Hypersonix Launch Systems
Taofiq Huq, Spiral Blue

Executive of the Year - Academia

Melrose Brown, University of New South Wales Canberra Space
Annie Handmer, University of Sydney

Rodrigo Praino, Flinders University Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies

Female Space Leader of the Year

Mahjabin Akter, Spiral Blue

Roxane Bandini-Maeder, Geoneon

Gabrielle Caswell, Spaceport Australia
Yolanda Dimech, Yolanda Dimech & Marine Rescue Queensland
Zamara Rodriguez, Space Industry Association of Australia
Nicole Seils, Amazon Web Services
Kathie van Vugt, Lunar Outpost Oceania
Kelly Yeoh, Blue Dwarf Space

Female Space Leader of the Year – Academia

Rebecca Allen, Swinburne University of Technology

Rebecca Connolly, University of Sydney Law School

Natasha Disha, The Australian National University
Kate Kitagawa, La Trobe University/Aussie Space Rocks
Katarina Miljkovic, Curtin University
Li Shean Toh, Monash University

Graduate of the Year

Grant Bradbeer, RMIT University - Centre for Moon to Mars Initiative Science and Technology (M2MIST)

Tamara Burling, Neumann Space

Lachlan Carboon, Lunar Outpost Oceania
Jacinda Cottee, Institute for Space Health and Performance, Deakin University and Swinburne University of Technology
Thorne Hanna-Spain, Hypersonix Launch Systems
Mikaela Millerd, Hypersonix Launch Systems
Celene Shimmen, Federation University
Greta Stephensen, BAE Systems

Innovator of the Year

Gabrielle Caswell, Space Port Australia
Rowena Christiansen, the ad astra vita project

Dr Muhammad Akbar Hussain, Southern Cross Outback Observatories Project

Lachlan McTaggart, Hypersonix Launch Systems
Ranjith Obeyesekera, K-HART International
Jack Orton, Hypersonix Launch Systems
Andrew Rakich, Electro Optic Systems
Alex Ward, Hypersonix Launch Systems

Mentor of the Year

Rebecca Allen, Swinburne University of Technology

Gabrielle Caswell, Spaceport Australia
Rowena Christiansen, the ad astra vita project
Yolanda Dimech, Yolanda Dimech & Marine Rescue Queensland
Geraldine Olea, Academy Olea

Rising Star of the Year - Enterprise

Joel Dennerley, Accenture
Thomas Graham, EY

Bryan Greenham, Gilmour Space Technologies

Julia Low, RMIT University
Karan Naidu, CSIRO

Rising Star of the Year - SME

Amjed Ahmed Arifeen, Zendir
Amrit Bagia, Space CoLAB
Anne Bettens, Deneb Space
Flávia Fayet-Moore, FOODiQ Global
Ella Pernice, Systems Planning and Analysis Australia
Eric Philips, Icetrek Expeditions
Edward Robinson, Robinson Aerospace Systems
Harrison Verrios, Zendir
Pavel Vlcek, Praxis Aerospace

Alexander Wright, AFTdynamics

Rising Star of the Year – Academia

Arnick Abdollahi, University of Technology Sydney

Kaja Antlej, Deakin University

Aakash Chhabra, Western Sydney University
Rebecca Connolly, University of Sydney Law School
Jacinda Cottee, Institute for Space Health and Performance, Deakin University and Swinburne University of Technology
Kate Kitagawa, La Trobe University/Aussie Space Rocks

Scientist of the Year

Arnick Abdollahi, University of Technology Sydney
Rowena Christiansen, the ad astra vita project
Jacinda Cottee, Institute for Space Health and Performance, Deakin University and Swinburne University of Technology
Muhammad Akbar Hussain, Mareekh Dynamics

Virginia Kilborn, Swinburne University of Technology

Ranjith Obeyesekera, K-HART International

Academic Research Team of the Year

Curtin University
Marintec (Navantia Australia)

The Australian National University

University of New South Wales

Business of the Year – Large

Electro Optic Systems

Fleet Space Technologies

Business of the Year – SME

Geoneon

Hypersonix Launch Systems
Mareekh Dynamics
Neumann Space
Space Machines Company
Spaceport Australia

Company Research Team of the Year

K-HART International

New Frontier Technologies

Spaceport Australia

Defence Business of the Year

Black Sky Industries

Electro Optic Systems

Diversity Initiative Program of the Year

Monash University

Spiral Blue

Earth Observation Program of the Year

North Australia and Rangelands Fire Information - Charles Darwin University
Eartheye Technologies
Geoneon

ICEYE

Engineering Business of the Year

Deneb Space
Hypersonix Launch Systems

Neumann Space

Orbit2Orbit
Spiral Blue

Indigenous Space Initiative of the Year

Bushfire Research Centre of Excellence, Ngubudji Ngurra, and New Zealand Bioeconomy Science Institute.
North Australia and Rangelands Fire Information - Charles Darwin University

Monash University

Research and Development Project of the Year

K-HART International

Paladin Space

Spaceport Australia
Waratah Seed & University of Sydney

Space Situational Awareness Program of the Year

Electro Optic Systems

Northrop Grumman Australia

Southern Cross Outback Observatory Project
Spiral Blue

Start-up of the Year

Blue Dwarf Space
Deneb Space
Orbit2Orbit
Paladin Space

Robinson Aerospace Systems

University of the Year

The Australian National University InSpace

University of New South Wales

University of Technology Sydney

Workforce Initiative Program of the Year

Adept Foundation

Crazy Might Work
Fleet Space Technologies
Hamilton Secondary College