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Jason MichaudCEO and Founder, Stardust Inc.Founder and CEO of Stardust Inc., a Canadian company based in Iroquois Falls, Ontario, and the host of Stardust 2026. Stardust runs Odyssey, the free space education platform open at any age, the Stardust Challenge, and Stardust Ascend, its civilian astronaut training and interplanetary readiness program. Canada's National Coordinator for World Space Week.
Dr. Olav KrigolsonProfessor, Theoretical and Applied Neuroscience Laboratory, University of VictoriaProfessor at the University of Victoria and director of the Theoretical and Applied Neuroscience Laboratory. His work is mobile neuroimaging with EEG and fNIRS, human performance and decision-making, with more than 85 peer-reviewed publications and 250 conference presentations.
Taylour MillsSTEAM Advisor and Board of Advisors, SEDS USATaylour Mills sits on the Board of Advisors of SEDS USA, the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, and is an aerospace engineer at Crane Aerospace & Electronics in the Seattle area. Founding president of SEDS at the University of Washington, where the chapter grew to more than 120 students across the Seattle and Bothell campuses; University of Washington Aeronautics & Astronautics, class of 2021.Website
Paola RodríguezCEO, Neko Aerospace EngineeringCEO of Neko Aerospace Engineering, an aerospace engineering firm in Houston, Texas, and a Stardust ambassador.
David BavarescoPresident and Chief Aerospace Engineer, Neko Aerospace EngineeringPresident and Chief Aerospace Engineer of Neko Aerospace Engineering in Houston, Texas, and a Stardust ambassador.
Dr. Danny JaquesFounder, Danny's Rocket RanchDr. Danny Jaques is an educator and a space food and drink entrepreneur. Danny’s Rocket Ranch manufactures a line of dehydrated food and drinks. Ten percent of the company’s profits are dedicated to help deserving students attend Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama.InstagramWebsiteX
Osho PriyaAmbassador, NASA Lucy Mission, STEM outreach and ethical AIFull-time STEM outreach as an ambassador for NASA's Lucy mission, and building a community for ethical AI. Until May 2026 a software engineer at AWS and Amazon, on network infrastructure for EC2 and AI-driven products. NASA L'SPACE Academy ambassador, from the 2020 NPWEE cohort and the 2021 Mission Concept Academy. In SEDS she raised the funds that took her chapter to SpaceVision at Johnson Space Center and to the IREC rocketry competition at Spaceport America, and she organised a week of World Space Week talks with speakers from Virgin Orbit and NASA Marshall. BS in Computer Science and Engineering, SUNY Buffalo, 2023.linkedin.comWebsiteX
Frank WhiteAuthor, The Overview Effect, Human Space ProgramAuthor of The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution, the 1987 book that named the shift astronauts describe when they see Earth from space, and a framework space psychology still works from. Founder of the Human Space Program and convener of the Overview Round Table. Harvard College, then Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar; his books span space, climate and artificial intelligence, including work with Isaac Asimov. He taught Introduction to Space Studies at Harvard Extension School and is bringing that course, and an Overview Effect course, to the Stardust platform. He joins Stardust 2026 on the stream.Website
Caroline ClarkAnalogue Astronaut & Space Psychology Researcher, ExpansumCaroline Clark is an analogue astronaut and space psychology researcher. In 2025 she completed an analogue space mission at LunAres Research Station, where she and six crew members were sealed inside a habitat simulating life on the Moon, experiencing first-hand the psychological impact of isolation and confinement. Through Expansum, she studies leadership, team dynamics and psychological resilience in extreme environments, and applies that work to developing leaders on the ground. Her TEDx talk makes the evidence-based case for why women should be the first humans on Mars.youtube.comliftoff.carolineclark.spaceWebsite
Dr. Alexandra (Sandra) WhitmireLead Scientist, Human Factors and Behavioral Performance, NASA Human Research ProgramDr. Alexandra (Sandra) Whitmire is the lead scientist for the Human Factors and Behavioral Performance element of NASA’s Human Research Program at Johnson Space Center, where she helps lead research on the effects of prolonged isolation and confinement as NASA prepares to voyage to the Moon and on to Mars. She joined the Human Research Program in 2006 and played a key role in establishing NASA’s behavioral health and performance research group, which led to the creation of HERA, the Human Exploration Research Analog, in 2013 and a Behavioral Health and Performance Laboratory in 2016. Her background is in experimental and occupational health psychology: a bachelor’s in English and psychology from the University of Texas at Austin, a master’s in psychology from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a doctorate in psychology. Source: nasa.gov, People of Johnson.Website
Dr. Gretchen GreenPhysician and Blue Origin astronaut, NS-32
Oscar O'FarrillPsychologist
Ashley LewellingPR Coordinator, World’s Biggest Analog · Guide, GOWME, GOWMEAshley Lewelling is PR Coordinator for the World’s Biggest Analog, the record-scale Moon and Mars analog mission, and a guide with GOWME. She grew up in Tucson, Arizona, graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Cal State LA while taking pre-med prerequisites, and is applying to clinical psychology graduate programs on the way to medicine. She is working towards her Wilderness First Responder and W-EMT certifications and is drawn to rescue, wilderness, austere, emergency and space medicine. At Stardust 2026 she brings the WBA film and the human side of an analog mission. Source: gowme.org.gowme.orgWebsite
Dr. Fernando De La Peña LlacaFounder and CEO, Aexa Aerospace and Aexa Tech, Aexa AerospaceFounder and CEO of Aexa Aerospace and Aexa Tech. For nearly three decades we have worked at the intersection of aerospace operations, immersive systems, and AI. Our team developed HoloConnect AI, a device-agnostic holographic and AI platform that has been demonstrated in orbit aboard the International Space Station and is now expanding into aerospace medicine, mission operations, and commercial applications. Our focus has been simple but ambitious: bringing immersive presence and intelligent systems into high-stakes environments where human performance, cognition, and decision-making truly matter.aexa.comlinkedin.com
Shinul PaulChief Operating Officer, Stardust Inc.Shinul Paul is an Aerospace Engineer and Astrophysicist whose career bridges hard science with a passion for human progress. With over a decade of experience in aerospace technologies, space systems, and UAV/RPAS, Shinul serves as COO of Stardust Inc., where he leads innovation in astronaut training, space research, and the development of next-generation infrastructure for humanity’s future in space.
Zain TawanaChief Impact and Partnership Officer, Stardust Inc.Zain Tawana is a psychonaut: an explorer of inner space, who believes the journey to the stars begins within. At Stardust Inc., he leads global impact and relationship strategies, while advancing research into space psychology and mental well-being for analog astronauts and future interplanetary missions.
Shifa ZahraDirector of Space Biology and Strategic Partnerships, Stardust Inc.Shifa Zahra is a biotechnologist working at the frontier of Space Biology and Astrobiology, driven by one central question: how does life originate, adapt, and survive beyond Earth? Her research focuses on developing non-Earth-centered life-detection strategies by integrating molecular biology, extremophile systems, and stress-adaptation mechanisms relevant to Mars and lunar exploration. By studying biological resilience under extreme conditions, Shifa aims to redefine how we search for life and how we sustain it beyond our planet.
See the full programme & who you can meet
The conference site: agenda, speakers, abstracts →
LIVESTREAM · Stardust event
Stardust 2026
Two days in Seattle and on a worldwide stream. Career fair, panels, poster presentations, Challenge abstracts, talks. The Stardust Gala, a Roaring Twenties evening: open bar and hors d'oeuvres. Conference days location TBA.
When
Monday 2 November-Tuesday 3 November 2026
2 Nov, 10:00 am → 3 Nov, 8:00 pm PST · 2 Nov 18:00 → 4 Nov 04:00 UTC
Where
Seattle, USA, and online …
Seattle, USA, and online worldwide. The address is whispered to registered guests first.
Access
Free · open to all
Sign up with a free Stardust account to get the stream link and a seat in the chat.
Who's coming
Just announced
Sign up and you are among the first.
Be there
Signing up is not required to watch, but it means we can remind you and tell you the moment we go live.
Who you'll hear from
Jason MichaudCEO and Founder, Stardust Inc.Founder and CEO of Stardust Inc., a Canadian company based in Iroquois Falls, Ontario, and the host of Stardust 2026. Stardust runs Odyssey, the free space education platform open at any age, the Stardust Challenge, and Stardust Ascend, its civilian astronaut training and interplanetary readiness program. Canada's National Coordinator for World Space Week.
Dr. Olav KrigolsonProfessor, Theoretical and Applied Neuroscience Laboratory, University of VictoriaProfessor at the University of Victoria and director of the Theoretical and Applied Neuroscience Laboratory. His work is mobile neuroimaging with EEG and fNIRS, human performance and decision-making, with more than 85 peer-reviewed publications and 250 conference presentations.
Taylour MillsSTEAM Advisor and Board of Advisors, SEDS USATaylour Mills sits on the Board of Advisors of SEDS USA, the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, and is an aerospace engineer at Crane Aerospace & Electronics in the Seattle area. Founding president of SEDS at the University of Washington, where the chapter grew to more than 120 students across the Seattle and Bothell campuses; University of Washington Aeronautics & Astronautics, class of 2021.Website
Paola RodríguezCEO, Neko Aerospace EngineeringCEO of Neko Aerospace Engineering, an aerospace engineering firm in Houston, Texas, and a Stardust ambassador.
David BavarescoPresident and Chief Aerospace Engineer, Neko Aerospace EngineeringPresident and Chief Aerospace Engineer of Neko Aerospace Engineering in Houston, Texas, and a Stardust ambassador.
Dr. Danny JaquesFounder, Danny's Rocket RanchDr. Danny Jaques is an educator and a space food and drink entrepreneur. Danny’s Rocket Ranch manufactures a line of dehydrated food and drinks. Ten percent of the company’s profits are dedicated to help deserving students attend Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama.InstagramWebsiteX
Osho PriyaAmbassador, NASA Lucy Mission, STEM outreach and ethical AIFull-time STEM outreach as an ambassador for NASA's Lucy mission, and building a community for ethical AI. Until May 2026 a software engineer at AWS and Amazon, on network infrastructure for EC2 and AI-driven products. NASA L'SPACE Academy ambassador, from the 2020 NPWEE cohort and the 2021 Mission Concept Academy. In SEDS she raised the funds that took her chapter to SpaceVision at Johnson Space Center and to the IREC rocketry competition at Spaceport America, and she organised a week of World Space Week talks with speakers from Virgin Orbit and NASA Marshall. BS in Computer Science and Engineering, SUNY Buffalo, 2023.linkedin.comWebsiteX
Frank WhiteAuthor, The Overview Effect, Human Space ProgramAuthor of The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution, the 1987 book that named the shift astronauts describe when they see Earth from space, and a framework space psychology still works from. Founder of the Human Space Program and convener of the Overview Round Table. Harvard College, then Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar; his books span space, climate and artificial intelligence, including work with Isaac Asimov. He taught Introduction to Space Studies at Harvard Extension School and is bringing that course, and an Overview Effect course, to the Stardust platform. He joins Stardust 2026 on the stream.Website
T
The Inspired 24
Caroline ClarkAnalogue Astronaut & Space Psychology Researcher, ExpansumCaroline Clark is an analogue astronaut and space psychology researcher. In 2025 she completed an analogue space mission at LunAres Research Station, where she and six crew members were sealed inside a habitat simulating life on the Moon, experiencing first-hand the psychological impact of isolation and confinement. Through Expansum, she studies leadership, team dynamics and psychological resilience in extreme environments, and applies that work to developing leaders on the ground. Her TEDx talk makes the evidence-based case for why women should be the first humans on Mars.youtube.comliftoff.carolineclark.spaceWebsite
Dr. Alexandra (Sandra) WhitmireLead Scientist, Human Factors and Behavioral Performance, NASA Human Research ProgramDr. Alexandra (Sandra) Whitmire is the lead scientist for the Human Factors and Behavioral Performance element of NASA’s Human Research Program at Johnson Space Center, where she helps lead research on the effects of prolonged isolation and confinement as NASA prepares to voyage to the Moon and on to Mars. She joined the Human Research Program in 2006 and played a key role in establishing NASA’s behavioral health and performance research group, which led to the creation of HERA, the Human Exploration Research Analog, in 2013 and a Behavioral Health and Performance Laboratory in 2016. Her background is in experimental and occupational health psychology: a bachelor’s in English and psychology from the University of Texas at Austin, a master’s in psychology from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a doctorate in psychology. Source: nasa.gov, People of Johnson.Website
Dr. Gretchen GreenPhysician and Blue Origin astronaut, NS-32
Oscar O'FarrillPsychologist
Ashley LewellingPR Coordinator, World’s Biggest Analog · Guide, GOWME, GOWMEAshley Lewelling is PR Coordinator for the World’s Biggest Analog, the record-scale Moon and Mars analog mission, and a guide with GOWME. She grew up in Tucson, Arizona, graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Cal State LA while taking pre-med prerequisites, and is applying to clinical psychology graduate programs on the way to medicine. She is working towards her Wilderness First Responder and W-EMT certifications and is drawn to rescue, wilderness, austere, emergency and space medicine. At Stardust 2026 she brings the WBA film and the human side of an analog mission. Source: gowme.org.gowme.orgWebsite
Dr. Fernando De La Peña LlacaFounder and CEO, Aexa Aerospace and Aexa Tech, Aexa AerospaceFounder and CEO of Aexa Aerospace and Aexa Tech. For nearly three decades we have worked at the intersection of aerospace operations, immersive systems, and AI. Our team developed HoloConnect AI, a device-agnostic holographic and AI platform that has been demonstrated in orbit aboard the International Space Station and is now expanding into aerospace medicine, mission operations, and commercial applications. Our focus has been simple but ambitious: bringing immersive presence and intelligent systems into high-stakes environments where human performance, cognition, and decision-making truly matter.aexa.comlinkedin.com
Shinul PaulChief Operating Officer, Stardust Inc.Shinul Paul is an Aerospace Engineer and Astrophysicist whose career bridges hard science with a passion for human progress. With over a decade of experience in aerospace technologies, space systems, and UAV/RPAS, Shinul serves as COO of Stardust Inc., where he leads innovation in astronaut training, space research, and the development of next-generation infrastructure for humanity’s future in space.
Zain TawanaChief Impact and Partnership Officer, Stardust Inc.Zain Tawana is a psychonaut: an explorer of inner space, who believes the journey to the stars begins within. At Stardust Inc., he leads global impact and relationship strategies, while advancing research into space psychology and mental well-being for analog astronauts and future interplanetary missions.
Shifa ZahraDirector of Space Biology and Strategic Partnerships, Stardust Inc.Shifa Zahra is a biotechnologist working at the frontier of Space Biology and Astrobiology, driven by one central question: how does life originate, adapt, and survive beyond Earth? Her research focuses on developing non-Earth-centered life-detection strategies by integrating molecular biology, extremophile systems, and stress-adaptation mechanisms relevant to Mars and lunar exploration. By studying biological resilience under extreme conditions, Shifa aims to redefine how we search for life and how we sustain it beyond our planet.
Stardust 2026 is our flagship event and the finale of the Stardust Challenge 2026. It runs in person in Seattle and is streamed worldwide, so you can be in the room or attend from wherever you are. Nobody needs a flight or a visa to be part of it.
The awards reception is at the Stardust Gala: open bar, hors d'oeuvres, and the Stardust Awards. The main conference days are in the Seattle area. That location is confirmed here once it is booked.
MONDAY 2 NOVEMBER
Career fair. Panels. Poster presentations. Challenge abstracts, presented by the teams themselves. Motivational talks. Streamed worldwide.
TUESDAY 3 NOVEMBER
Career fair continues. Panels, posters, abstracts. Judges sit down with the winning teams. Evening: the Stardust Awards at the Stardust Gala, with open bar and hors d'oeuvres.
PARTICIPATING
Club for the Future, Blue Origin, Lockheed Martin, NASA, Virgin Galactic, United Nations, ESTES, Space Foundation, and more.
The Stardust team opens the event live. Speaker names are posted here as they are confirmed.
Volunteer to help run this event →
Setup, streaming, translation, hosting: tell us what you're good at.
Call for abstracts
Propose a talk or poster for this event. Deadline: Oct 19, 2026.
Sign in to submit.
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