Announcing the 2025 Horizon Flight Cohort
Participants from research and industry will conduct a range of experiments on this year’s zero gravity flight
Aurelia Institute is pleased to announce the participants in this year’s Horizon Zero Gravity Program, who will conduct research projects designed for microgravity on a parabolic flight this spring. This fourth cohort of fliers represent fellowships and research organizations who share Aurelia’s mission of advancing space research and opening new pathways to spaceflight.
The fliers have all successfully completed Aurelia Academy’s flagship Microgravity Project Design course and passed preliminary design review (PDR) with Aurelia’s flight integrator, Sean Auffinger.
Also joining the Horizon cohort are a number of startup companies, as well as a nonprofit, who are sending experiments aboard the flight for microgravity testing. Some of the Horizon fliers will support these experiments on the flight—a unique learning experience and an important contribution to our mission of bridging startups, researchers, and aerospace engineers.
Get to know the 2025 cohort, and stay tuned for details about their projects following the flight!
Ashley Kowalski
Organization: Space Generation Advisory Council
Biography: Ashley is a project leader in The Aerospace Corporation’s International Programs Division, where she works with, represents, and provides technical support to the U.S. Space Force Space Systems Command International Affairs (SSC/IA) office, as well as various civil sector organizations (e.g., NASA and FAA). Outside of Aerospace, Kowalski served as the flight engineer for SIRIUS-21 (Scientific International Research In a Unique Terrestrial Station), an eight-month, long-duration spaceflight analog mission held in Moscow, Russia.
Project: Measuring the effect of microgravity on skin and mean body temperature changes
Ashley’s research aims to better understand how to mitigate the effect of headward fluid shift and circadian misalignment on the mean body temperature of astronauts during long-duration space flight.
Vittorio Netti
Organization: AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) Space Architecture Technical Committee (SATC)
Biography: Vittorio Netti has a PhD in Aerospace Engineering and an MSc in Space Architecture, from SICSA (Sasakawa International Center for Space Architecture, University of Houston), where he teaches Space Habitats validation and testing. His research fields are focused on Autonomous planetary construction with In Situ Resources (ISRU) and Space Habitat design and validation through XR (Extended Reality).
Project: XR utilization in zero-g flight for validation of space habitat design using biodata
Vittorio will wear a VR headset, an xEMU simulator, a biosensor suite, and an EEG cap while completing various tasks, both on the ground and during the flight.
Anaelle “Elle” Roc
Organization: Patti Grace Smith Fellow 2021
Biography: Elle’s goal is to secure a better future for humanity in space. Hailing from New York, she will be pursuing her PhD in astronomy and astrophysics at Columbia this autumn, and dreams of becoming a leader in space policy.
Project: On The Air: A microgravity radio approach to science communication
Elle aims to broadcast parts of this microgravity flight on noncommercial radio, highlighting the medium's unique suitability for science communication.
Chava Friedman
Organization: Matthew Isakowitz Fellow 2021
Biography: Chava is an aerospace engineer hailing from Los Angeles California now living in Nayarit Mexico. Her engineering career so far has involved mission operations, and spacecraft hardware test and integration.
Project: Startup project support: OrbitAID Aerospace
Chava will be assisting OrbitAID with their experiment during the flight.
Makiah Eustice
Organization: Brooke Owens Fellow 2017
Biography: Makiah Eustice is an aerospace engineer and materials engineering Master's student. She's worked in space research analogs, covered launches, streamed aerospace games, and designed for a space-themed fashion show. Makiah is currently an officer in the US Air Force.
Project: Startup project support: Wainamics
Makia will be supporting Wainamics with their experiment during the flight.
Sumaiya Abedin
Organization: Zenith Pathways Canada Fellow 2024
Biography: Sumaiya is a recent electrical engineering graduate from Montreal, Canada. She has a strong interest in space medicine and seeks to explore its intersection with engineering technology.
Project: Research project support - Vittorio Netti
Sumaiya will be aiding Vittorio with his project “XR utilization in zero-g flight for validation of space habitat design using biodata”
Equity Space Alliance Association
The Equity Space Alliance Association (ESAA) is a non-profit dedicated to transforming the landscape of the space industry. With support from ESAA, students at E3 Civic High School in San Diego designed a footwear experiment that advanced technology engineer Jasmine LeFlore and student Darcy Torres Navarro will perform on the flight.
Startups
OrbitAID
OrbitAID Aerospace is developing satellite life extension solutions enabling longer mission duration, reduced space debris generation and enhanced operational flexibility. CEO Sakthikumar R. will run a test of a satellite simulator for servicing missions.
Wainamics
Wainamics has developed a Microfluidic Bio-Containment (MBC) system that allows cell culture growth studies in a highly compact, self-contained platform. Funded by NASA SBIR program, the MBC system allows studying of various biological specimens growth under deep-space radiation and microgravity environment. Horizon flier Makiah Eustice will test out Wainamics’ prototype sample cartridge for parallel filling and perfusion of 16 sample wells during flight.
Lodestar Space
Lodestar is an orbital security company pioneering platform-agnostic robotic vision and capture capability for dual-use applications. Their flagship solution, TARS, can integrate into any spacecraft to inspect, protect and repair high-value assets in orbit. On their second microgravity flight with Aurelia, engineers Kiran de Silva and Shiven Chandarana will validate TARS’s autonomous capture capability and machine-vision sensor suite under true microgravity conditions.
Overview Energy
Overview Energy operates in the aerospace industry with a focus on energy solutions. CEO Marc Berte, director of manufacturing Jennifer La Rosa, and hardware development engineer Matthew Thomas will be testing a mechanical experiment on the flight.