In cooperation with OHB, SGAC recently announced that Diana Andrea Espitia and Arya Dasas are the winners of the 2024 SGAC – OHB SE Competition.
This competition sought innovative ideas on Cislunar Economy – Challenges and Future to identify business fields most likely to benefit from a successful cislunar economy and the applicability for a Large System Integrator, as well as describe a scientific/ technological potential or solution, created with this new market.
The winners will be sponsored to attend the 22nd Space Generation Congress (SGC): 10-12 October 2024 and 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC): 14-18 October 2024 in Milan, Italy
Diana Andrea Espitia Torres
Diana Andrea Espitia Torres is a young professional from Colombia. She graduated as a mechatronics engineer from the Universidad Militar Nueva Granada in Bogotá, Colombia. Since her school years, she has shown an interest in engineering, science, and technology. Her passion for space and advancements in the sector has led her to participate in competitions such as the NASA International Space Apps Challenge, where in October of 2022, she won first place at the local Bogotá site with her team. Since November 2023, she has been a member of the Colombian Association of Women in Aerospace (Asociación Colombiana de Mujeres en Aeroespacial – ACMA), where she has actively participated in the STEM sector in activities such as the All Colombia Asteroid Search Campaign of the International Astronomical Search Collaboration. She is currently a member of the ACMA team participating in the ACHIEVED Competition 2024 of the SGAC. Additionally, she enjoys training and learning about topics related to aerospace engineering. She is also passionate about programming and currently works as a software development engineer. Diana aspires to pursue a master’s degree in the aerospace sector to actively contribute as a STEM woman and provide her ideas and ingenuity in the development and advancement of space and scientific technologies.
Ms. Torres said, “It is a great honor for me to be awarded the SGAC-OHB SE Scholarship. It is an incredible opportunity that will enable me to expand my knowledge in the space sector, enhance my professional profile as an engineer and STEM woman, and strengthen my professional network. I am really excited and deeply grateful with SGAC and OHB SE for providing me this opportunity.”
Arya Das
Arya Das is a Ph.D. student at the Indian Institute of Technology located in Kanpur, India, working on the optimal guidance of low-thrust electric spacecraft using machine learning methods. Arya is also involved in a collaborative project with ISRO focused on estimating wheel slippage for planetary rovers. He is a recipient of the prestigious Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship in India, which supports his academic studies and research work. Prior to his Ph.D. studies, Arya served as a research assistant, where he contributed to the development of a spacecraft simulator for attitude control. He holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Computer Science from IIT Patna, where he participated in the Google Summer of Code program, developing open-source software for orbit determination. Arya is committed to science education and conducts regular classes and workshops on STEM subjects within his community. He is deeply passionate about space exploration and has a keen interest in developing innovative technologies in this field.
Dr. Das said, “I am honored and grateful to SGAC and OHB, for being selected as a winner of the OHB SE Competition 2024. The opportunity to attend the SGC and IAC will allow me to learn from experts in the space industry and grow my professional network.”