Manfred Jaumann is Vice President, Head of Low Earth Orbit & Suborbital Programmes at Airbus Defence and Space and Managing Director of the Joint Venture Company Starlab Space GmbH.

Jaumann has been responsible for all Low Earth Orbit Space Exploration activities, including the European part of the International Space Station (ISS) and the Sounding Rocket Programme, since 2017.

Since January 2025, he also leads Starlab Space GmbH, the European arm of a global joint venture aiming to ensure a seamless transition of human spaceflight, microgravity science and research into the post-ISS era with the next-generation Space Station ‘Starlab’.

Prior to this role, Jaumann was Airbus Defence and Space’s Head of Engineering for Space Exploration from 2015 to 2017.

He began his professional career in 1979 in the German Armed Forces, where he served as Battery Control Officer and then Tactical Director of a Surface-to-Air Missile HAWK Air Force squadron. In 1991, he moved to Airbus Defence and Space (Deutsche Aerospace and succeeding companies at the time), where he held numerous management positions in the Space sector and served as Director of International Offset from 1998 to 2001.

Dr Patrick Rapp was born on 28 January 1969 in Stuttgart. Mr Rapp studied forestry science at the Albrecht Ludwig University of Freiburg and subsequently completed a doctorate at the Institute for Forestry Policy of the Albert Ludwig University.

After working as a management assistant to the executive board in the food industry and as a personnel manager in the timber industry, Dr Rapp was first elected to the State Parliament of Baden-Württemberg in 2011. After his re-election in 2016, he became chairman of the Rural Areas and Consumer Protection Working Group and has been the speaker on tourism policies for the CDU state parliamentary group since 2011. In 2021 he was elected again to the State Parliament of Baden-Württemberg.

On May 12th, 2021 Dr Patrick Rapp was appointed State Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism of the Federal State of BadenWürttemberg.

Frank De Winne is the first ESA astronaut to command a space mission, which he completed as commander of the International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 21. He is currently in charge of ISS operations at ESA and serves as the ISS Program Manager. Frank previously flew to the ISS as a flight engineer and led 23 experiments in the fields of life and physical sciences and education. 

Prior to his astronaut career, Frank was in the military with the Belgian Air Force and served as a pilot, led flight safety programs, and led flight test programs. He has logged more than 2300 flight hours on high-performance aircraft.

Carlos Garcia-Galan is the Deputy Manager for the Gateway Program, bringing more than 27 years of experience in human spaceflight to this role. In this position, he supports the overall management and development of Gateway, a key element of NASA’s Artemis campaign that will enable sustainable lunar exploration and provide a foundation for missions to Mars.

Previously, Garcia-Galan served as the Manager of the Orion Program’s European Service Module (ESM) Integration Office at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. In this role, he was responsible for the integration of the European Space Agency-developed ESM, including design activities, assembly, and testing with other modules of the Orion spacecraft.

A native of Malaga, Spain, Garcia-Galan joined the Orion Program Office in 2010 at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, where he held various technical and management positions. His work encompassed integrated spacecraft design and performance, mission analysis, cross-program integration, and launch and flight operations support.

Prior to his involvement with Orion, Garcia-Galan was an International Space Station (ISS) flight controller, supporting multiple Space Shuttle-ISS assembly missions and increment operations from Mission Control in Houston and Korolev, Russia. 

Garcia-Galan has been recognized for his contributions to human spaceflight with numerous awards, including the Honeywell Space Systems Engineer of the Year (Houston), NASA Silver Achievement Medal, Exceptional Achievement Medal, Johnson Space Center Director’s Commendation, Orion Program Manager’s Commendation, and the prestigious Silver Snoopy Award.

Volker Schmid is an accomplished aerospace and space systems engineer. He earned his Master’s degree in Space Systems Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Aachen (RWTH), Germany, and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Prior to his academic pursuits, Volker gained several years of hands-on experience working as a mechanic in industry.

Since 1996, Volker has been employed at the German Aerospace Center (DLR). His expertise includes six years of systems analysis and preliminary design for future launchers, where he developed and utilized advanced software methods.

From April 2001, Volker worked at the German Space Administration (now the German Space Agency at DLR) within the Human space flight, ISS, and exploration division. He served as acting Head of the division from November 2018 to March 2020. His responsibilities included overseeing the International Space Station (ISS) programme, ISS utilisation, and programme elements such as the European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).

From 2011 to 2021, Volker represented Germany as an ESA delegate for the Human Spaceflight Programme Board and the Exploration and Utilization Board. Additionally, from 2011 onwards, he served as the Lead Mission Manager for two of ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst's ISS missions: Blue Dot and Horizons. In this role, he was responsible for the German contributions to these missions, as well as for the Cosmic Kiss mission of ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer. Volker also initiated and managed several ISS experiments for DLR, including the AI-assistant experiment CIMON (Crew Interactive MObile CompanioN).

Currently, Volker serves as Senior Advisor on Aeronautics and Space Matters for the Chair of the Executive Board of DLR.

Ulrich Kübler is Sales Director for Space Exploration at Airbus Defence and Space located in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

Ulrich started his career at NASAs Ames Research Center as a designer for a new gravitational biology facility, before joining Airbus, covering various positions related to microgravity research & space exploration, incl. program & innovation management, strategy, business development and sales.

Ulrich has more than 35 years of experience in Space Station design and operations, especially for space life science, crew habitation and life support. He is a permanent member of the International Academy of Astronautics 

Born 1958 in Frankfurt am Main, Thomas Reiter studied aerospace engineering at the University of the Bundeswehr in Munich. He is a Diplom-Ingenieur and General a.D. As a pilot of the Luftwaffe, he was deployed on the Alpha-Jet and Tornado aircraft. From 1990 to 1992, he completed the training to become a test pilot. 

In 1992, he was recruited into the ESA Astronaut Corps and in March 1995, he was nominated as a flight engineer for the longest manned ESA space mission ‘Euromir95’ to date.

From September 1997 till March 1999, Thomas Reiter led the Flying Group of the Tornado Fighter-Bomber Wing 38 ‘Friesland’ as commander. His second mission ‘Astrolab’ took him as a flight engineer from July - December 2006 to the International Space Station ISS. He spent a total of 350 days in space and conducted more than 70 scientific experiments and 3 spacewalks.

Following his active career as an astronaut, he was appointed to the board of DLR in 2007, responsible for space research and development.

From April 2011 to December 2015, he headed the ESA Directorate for Human Spaceflight and Mission Operations based in Darmstadt. As ESA Director, he was responsible for the European contributions to the International Space Station ISS, ESA activities in the field of astronautical spaceflight, as well as the operation of manned and unmanned spacecraft and the ground segment.

From 2016 until his retirement in May 2021, Thomas Reiter took on the tasks as Coordinator International Agencies and Advisor to the ESA Director General.

Brad Henderson is the Chief Commercial Officer at Starlab Space. In this role, Brad is responsible for overseeing the business strategy, market generation, and revenue management of all commercial aspects of Starlab Space across its international footprint. 

Prior to joining Starlab, Henderson served as the Vice President of Space Habitation at Sierra Space, where he led space station development efforts, identified commercial space station uses, collaborated with non-traditional space industries, and developed commercial facilities and systems. Additionally, he served as the Habitation product line manager for Sierra Space’s LIFE™ habitat. Henderson also spent nearly three years at Sierra Nevada Corporation where he was focused on its NASA portfolio and eventually helped develop the business approach for Sierra Space. NASA programs he supported include: NextSTEP-2 inflatable habitat program, Mars Transit Vehicle, Lunar Surface habitat, Orbital Outpost, Human Landing systems logistics vehicle, and other programs.

Brad has extensive leadership experience in the military. He served as a Systems Engineer Technical Advisor on behalf of the Air Force Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities (AFTENCAP) and 20 years as a U.S. Special Forces Green Beret serving as a senior technical and communications Subject Matter Expert. 

Since 2022 Lorenz Herrmann is Head of the Department "Advanced Materials and Surfaces" at Empa and a member of Empa's directorate. In this function he is responsible for Empa's Research Focus Area "Nanoscale Materials and Manufacturing Technologies". Lorenz Herrmann studied Physics at the University of Regensburg and Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris. He followed a binational PhD program in solid state physics and re-ceived his degree in 2010 from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris and the University of Regensburg. Afterwards he joined ABB Corporate Research in Baden-Dättwil, Switzerland, where he worked as a scientist, group leader and department head on technology development projects in the context of the company's product portfolio. His personal research field is material development and characterization in the context of electrical engineering applications.

John M. Horack, Ph.D., is the inaugural holder of the Neil Armstrong Chair in Aerospace Policy at The Ohio State University, with tenured, full-professor appointments in the College of Engineering’s Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department and the John Glenn College of Public Affairs.  A 30-year veteran of the spaceflight industry, Dr. Horack also currently serves as the Senior Associate Dean of Engineering at Ohio State, and is a globally-recognized leader in space-based research, flight hardware development, program management, and space policy.

Prior to joining Ohio State in 2016, he served for four years as Vice President of Teledyne Brown Engineering’s Space Systems group in Huntsville, Alabama, with responsibility for overseeing all government and commercial Space programs, including Science, International Space Station Payload Operations, Test Support, Flight Hardware, Launch Vehicle and Component Development, and Earth Imaging, including the deployment of the MUSES commercial imaging platform to the ISS and the installation of state-of-the-art Hyperspectral instrumentation for commercial remote sensing.

From 2009-2012 Dr. Horack served as Vice President of Research for UAHuntsville, where he had fiscal oversight for the entire University’s research enterprise, including 14 research centers and laboratories, growing annual research expenditures from ~$65M to nearly $100 million. 

Dr. Horack had an impressive career at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) having achieved the level of Senior Executive Service. His last position at NASA was as manager of the Science and Mission Systems Office, where he was responsible for advanced, complex science and exploration research and nearly 400 civil service personnel and contractors.  For work in this role, he was awarded the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal.  

He began his NASA career in 1987 after graduating from Northwestern University with a B.A. in physics and astronomy.  He earned a M.A. and Ph.D. in physics from UAHuntsville in 1992 and 1993, respectively.

Volker Schmid is an accomplished aerospace and space systems engineer. He earned his Master’s degree in Space Systems Engineering from the University of Applied Sciences in Aachen (RWTH), Germany, and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Prior to his academic pursuits, Volker gained several years of hands-on experience working as a mechanic in industry.

Since 1996, Volker has been employed at the German Aerospace Center (DLR). His expertise includes six years of systems analysis and preliminary design for future launchers, where he developed and utilized advanced software methods.

From April 2001, Volker worked at the German Space Administration (now the German Space Agency at DLR) within the Human space flight, ISS, and exploration division. He served as acting Head of the division from November 2018 to March 2020. His responsibilities included overseeing the International Space Station (ISS) programme, ISS utilisation, and programme elements such as the European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).

From 2011 to 2021, Volker represented Germany as an ESA delegate for the Human Spaceflight Programme Board and the Exploration and Utilization Board. Additionally, from 2011 onwards, he served as the Lead Mission Manager for two of ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst's ISS missions: Blue Dot and Horizons. In this role, he was responsible for the German contributions to these missions, as well as for the Cosmic Kiss mission of ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer. Volker also initiated and managed several ISS experiments for DLR, including the AI-assistant experiment CIMON (Crew Interactive MObile CompanioN).

Currently, Volker serves as Senior Advisor on Aeronautics and Space Matters for the Chair of the Executive Board of DLR.

Frank De Winne is the first ESA astronaut to command a space mission, which he completed as commander of the International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 21. He is currently in charge of ISS operations at ESA and serves as the ISS Program Manager. Frank previously flew to the ISS as a flight engineer and led 23 experiments in the fields of life and physical sciences and education. 

Prior to his astronaut career, Frank was in the military with the Belgian Air Force and served as a pilot, led flight safety programs, and led flight test programs. He has logged more than 2300 flight hours on high-performance aircraft.

Mathias Spohr is the Managing Director/CEO of Lufthansa Aviation Training GmbH, a position he has held since 2021. He brings a wealth of experience in both management and aviation to his role.

Spohr's management career within the Lufthansa Group began in 2013, where he served as the Flight Operations Manager at Eurowings and later as the Head of Fleet at Germanwings. His extensive pilot career started in 1995, during which he held various notable positions, including Captain of the A320 at Lufthansa, Training Captain at Eurowings and Germanwings, Training Captain of the A320 at Condor, and Senior First Officer of the A340 at Lufthansa.

Prior to his aviation career, Spohr completed his studies in economics at Ruhr University Bochum and underwent pilot training at Lufthansa.

Winfried Aicher started his career 40 years ago in the German spaceflight industry with increasing responsibilities over the years related to development management, integration and operation of ISS payload facilities for materials science research and life support. 

In addition, he served as astronaut and cosmonaut crew instructor for ISS bound payload training for more than 15 years. 

At Starlab, Mr. Aicher is responsible for the Payload System covering Payload Laboratory, Integration and Operations.

Winfried Aicher started his career 40 years ago in the German spaceflight industry with increasing responsibilities over the years related to development management, integration and operation of ISS payload facilities for materials science research and life support. 

In addition, he served as astronaut and cosmonaut crew instructor for ISS bound payload training for more than 15 years. 

At Starlab, Mr. Aicher is responsible for the Payload System covering Payload Laboratory, Integration and Operations.

Having pioneered management consulting for the space sector in Europe, Rainer combines consulting, entrepreneurial and investment expertise. For over 25 years his strategic advice has empowered private and institutional clients worldwide - Rainer’s proficiency includes strategy development, market analysis, international cooperation, organisational optimisation, and investment advisory. 

Matthias Spott is an aerospace engineer by background - and one of Europe's first NewSpace pioneers. Since 2014, in the face of many adversities, he has been developing and executing the business plan of using an European constellation of hundreds of satellites to provide high-speed, low-latency Internet to industry customers around the world. It was quite a bumpy ride.

Now, he uses his knowledge and experience to prepare for the next wave of NewSpace and the use of other deep technologies. In particular, he helps his fellow entrepreneurs set ambitious yet achievable goals and stay on course in uncharted waters - often on rough seas and in challenging conditions.

Since his childhood in Northern Germany, Matthias has been a passionate sailor. Trips on the North Sea, Baltic, Atlantic and Mediterranean have left a lasting impression on him, shaping his work as an advisor, leader, and entrepreneur.

Winfried Aicher started his career 40 years ago in the German spaceflight industry with increasing responsibilities over the years related to development management, integration and operation of ISS payload facilities for materials science research and life support. 

In addition, he served as astronaut and cosmonaut crew instructor for ISS bound payload training for more than 15 years. 

At Starlab, Mr. Aicher is responsible for the Payload System covering Payload Laboratory, Integration and Operations.

Barbara Imhof is a space architect, researcher, and educator whose work bridges design, science, and technology to shape how humans will live and work beyond Earth. She is co-founder and managing partner of LIQUIFER, a Vienna- and Bremen-based practice pioneering human-centered architecture for space exploration. Her projects span habitats, spacecraft interiors, life support demonstrators, and analog missions, integrating engineering with architectural and design approaches.

Imhof has led international teams on projects for the European Space Agency, NASA, and industry partners, focusing on interior configuration, transformable spaces, and the development of new materials and technologies, translating speculative visions into testable prototypes. Beyond practice, she teaches and lectures worldwide, advocating for space as a design frontier that redefines architecture itself.

John Kennett is an aerospace engineer turned exercise and rehabilitation specialist, whose career spans Concorde, the Boeing 747, clinical practice, and university lecturing in anatomy, sports injuries, and sport psychology. He is the creator of HIFIm (High Frequency Impulse for Microgravity) - a breakthrough exercise system enabling over 100 exercises, including repeated jumping and hopping, without requiring a Vibration Isolation System (VIS), saving around 1000 kg compared to other systems. HIFIm also reduces daily astronaut exercise from 2.5 hours to less than 30 minutes (if desired), delivering huge time and financial savings. Validated in multiple ESA and CNES parabolic flight campaigns, including a landmark test in 2021 with the world’s first amputee analogue-parastronaut, HIFIm sets new standards for astronaut and parastronaut health. John’s unique combination of aerospace engineering expertise and human exercise and physiology insight positions him as a leading voice on sustainable, inclusive living in space, while HIFIm also shows strong potential for clinical, medical, and military applications on Earth.

Brad Henderson is the Chief Commercial Officer at Starlab Space. In this role, Brad is responsible for overseeing the business strategy, market generation, and revenue management of all commercial aspects of Starlab Space across its international footprint. 

Prior to joining Starlab, Henderson served as the Vice President of Space Habitation at Sierra Space, where he led space station development efforts, identified commercial space station uses, collaborated with non-traditional space industries, and developed commercial facilities and systems. Additionally, he served as the Habitation product line manager for Sierra Space’s LIFE™ habitat. Henderson also spent nearly three years at Sierra Nevada Corporation where he was focused on its NASA portfolio and eventually helped develop the business approach for Sierra Space. NASA programs he supported include: NextSTEP-2 inflatable habitat program, Mars Transit Vehicle, Lunar Surface habitat, Orbital Outpost, Human Landing systems logistics vehicle, and other programs.

Brad has extensive leadership experience in the military. He served as a Systems Engineer Technical Advisor on behalf of the Air Force Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities (AFTENCAP) and 20 years as a U.S. Special Forces Green Beret serving as a senior technical and communications Subject Matter Expert. 

Winfried Aicher started his career 40 years ago in the German spaceflight industry with increasing responsibilities over the years related to development management, integration and operation of ISS payload facilities for materials science research and life support. 

In addition, he served as astronaut and cosmonaut crew instructor for ISS bound payload training for more than 15 years. 

At Starlab, Mr. Aicher is responsible for the Payload System covering Payload Laboratory, Integration and Operations.

Ulrich Kübler is Sales Director for Space Exploration at Airbus Defence and Space located in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

Ulrich started his career at NASAs Ames Research Center as a designer for a new gravitational biology facility, before joining Airbus, covering various positions related to microgravity research & space exploration, incl. program & innovation management, strategy, business development and sales.

Ulrich has more than 35 years of experience in Space Station design and operations, especially for space life science, crew habitation and life support. He is a permanent member of the International Academy of Astronautics 

Daniela Bezdan is an expert in space health and omics, based at the University Hospital Tübingen, where she focuses on astronaut health and pathogen surveillance on the International Space Station (ISS). Her work combines genomic innovation with spaceflight applications to advance healthcare in extreme environments.

She is also the CEO of dxOmics GmbH, a diagnostics company specializing in rare diseases, cancer, and astronaut health. The company develops cutting-edge, AI-driven solutions using non-invasive sampling and long-read sequencing to enable precision medicine on Earth and beyond.

Previously, she served as Director of the Green Space Center Baden-Württemberg, where she advanced the ecological use of space technology, biotech, and medicine. Before that Daniela was Chief Scientific Officer at YURI GmbH, a company specializing in microgravity experiments on the International Space Station (ISS), where she developed innovations from space for better health on earth. She has also co-founded several ventures, including Poppy Health, focused on pathogen surveillance, and Analog LLC, dedicated to astronaut training.

Scott Rodriguez is Vice President of Government Programs for Voyager Technologies and is based out of their Houston office. He serves as the primary point of contact for NASA and other clients and entities as the company grows into emerging space markets. Scott’s involvement stretches across Operations, Finance, Engineering, and Business Development. 

Scott has over 2 decades of experience working with governments and the private sector including direct experience with NASA as a part of the Operations Management and Program Controls Team for Lockheed Martin Space Operations. He has extensive experience operating both domestically and internationally and across multiple organizations and disciplines, making him well suited for his role of “Chief Diplomat” for Voyager as they continue to strengthen and grow their relationship with NASA and a growing list of commercial space partners. 

Scott also serves as the Program Manager for the NASA HUNCH Program. This ‘Project Based Learning’ program works with high school students to develop 21st century skills through the participation in the design and fabrication of NASA flight hardware.      

Scott joined Voyager after a long and successful stint as an independent contractor for various government agencies. Prior to starting his career, he received a BBA and an MA from Midwestern State University and attended South Texas College of Law. 

Leonardo Surdo is the ICE Cubes Service Project Manager. He holds a MSc in Medical Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine from the University of Bari and a MSc in Space Sciences from the International Space University in Strasbourg. He has more than 12 years experience in human spaceflight from ESA ISS programme at ESTEC, and has been managing space commercial projects and missions for private and public organisations across the world via the ICE Cubes Service.

David Stefano Zolesi (b. 1972, Italy) is President of Kayser Italia S.r.l. and Managing Director of Kayser Space Ltd. (UK), companies specializing in scientific payloads and advanced technologies for space research. With a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Pisa, he has over 25 years of experience in the aerospace sector. Since joining Kayser Italia in 1995, he has managed and directed complex international projects for major space agencies, driving innovation, R&D, and institutional engagement. In 2015 he founded Kayser Space in the UK, extending Kayser’s legacy into one of Europe’s key space ecosystems. His career is dedicated to advancing science and exploration through technology, international collaboration, and entrepreneurial leadership.

After 15 years in the ICRAVE NYC studio, Jesse is now located in London leading a multi-disciplinary studio focused on serving the European and Middle East markets across all sectors.

With 23 years of experience in architecture, interiors, strategy, and branding, Jesse has gleaned a unique set of insights on the role of strategically driven design.

He has been a creative shepherd for an array of project types including hospitality, entertainment, healthcare, retail, commercial planning, corporate strategy and brand development. He is adept at leading cross-functional project teams and is a valuable collaborator with owners and brands as they contemplate the evolution of their businesses.

Jesse has worked with a wide range of international companies such as MSG, Blackstone, Vornado, RXR, Disney, Marriott, Hilton, Compass Group, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and J.P. Morgan Chase. He has also created compelling work with boutique groups such as Sir Hotels, Sage Hospitality, The Tao Group, and Groot Hospitality.

Jesse holds a degree in Architecture from Syracuse University. He is a returning visiting professor teaching Hotel Strategy and Brand Design at the Institute Lyfe through EmLyon business school in Paris.