written by Judith Delany, SpaceWatch.Global
The European space sector is evolving rapidly. New technologies are emerging, investment is growing, and an expanding commercial ecosystem is creating new opportunities. Behind this momentum are remarkable people whose work is shaping the future of the industry. On International Women’s Day, we want to celebrate some of the incredible women behind this progress.
When we speak of “women,” we do so inclusively. We recognize cis women, trans women, and non-binary people who identify with this community and who are helping shape the future of space.
At SpaceWatch.Global, we engage with the European space community every day through our reporting, events, and conversations with leaders across the sector. The ten individuals featured here represent only a small glimpse of the many women driving our industry forward. They come from diverse backgrounds. Some are founders building companies, others are researchers advancing science, investors supporting innovation, policymakers shaping strategy, or advocates strengthening the community around the sector. Together, they reflect the breadth of talent across Europe’s space ecosystem.
This is not a ranking. It is a moment of recognition. Each of these leaders is remarkable in their own way, and many others could have been included. Today we celebrate them and the many women across Europe who are helping shape the future of space.
Marta Oliveira – Building Europe’s Return Route from Space
Marta Oliveira is tackling one of the most overlooked challenges of the space economy: bringing things back from orbit. As co-founder and COO of ATMOS Space Cargo, she helps develop PHOENIX, a return capsule designed to transport cargo safely from space to Earth. With a background in aerospace engineering and physics, Oliveira has worked across mission design, launch safety, and spacecraft operations, including roles connected to NASA, ESA, CNES, and Ariane 5 launch campaigns in Kourou. At ATMOS she leads mission planning and operational architecture, helping turn an ambitious spacecraft concept into a real logistics service. As orbital manufacturing and microgravity research grow, companies like ATMOS could become essential infrastructure for the space economy.
Dr. Ane Aanesland — Powering the Satellites of the NewSpace Era
As thousands of satellites enter orbit, maneuverability has become essential. Ane Aanesland, founder and CEO of ThrustMe, is helping solve that challenge. A plasma physicist who previously worked at CNRS and École Polytechnique, Aanesland founded ThrustMe in 2017 to commercialize electric propulsion for small satellites. The company’s breakthrough technology uses iodine instead of xenon, enabling lighter, cheaper propulsion systems.Aanesland’s journey from scientist to founder reflects a broader shift in Europe’s space sector – where deep scientific research is increasingly turning into commercial innovation.
Kristina Nikolaus – Managing the Traffic of the Orbital Age
As the number of satellites in orbit rapidly increases, so does the risk of collisions and space debris. Kristina Nikolaus, co-founder and CEO of OKAPI:Orbits, is building the tools to manage this challenge. Founded in 2018, the company develops AI-powered space traffic management software that helps operators track objects, predict collisions, and plan avoidance maneuvers – essentially building the equivalent of air traffic control for space. With a background in aerospace engineering and satellite operations, Nikolaus recognized early that the growing commercial space sector needed better orbital safety tools. Her work earned her the title Founder of the Year at the 2024 German Startup Awards.
Andrea Rotter – Bringing Space into the Geopolitical Conversation
As satellites become critical infrastructure, space is increasingly part of global security discussions. Andrea Rotter, Deputy Director at the Hanns Seidel Foundation, works to ensure that space policy is included in Europe’s geopolitical and security debates. Through conferences and policy dialogues, Rotter brings together policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders to discuss topics such as satellite resilience, space traffic management, and responsible behavior in orbit. By connecting the space sector with broader conversations on security and international cooperation, she helps position space as a key strategic domain. Her work highlights how space policy is becoming an essential part of modern foreign and security policy.
Lynn Zoenen – Financing Europe’s NewSpace Ambitions
Behind every successful space startup are investors who understand the complexity of building technologies for orbit. Lynn Zoenen, Principal at Alpine Space Ventures, is part of a new generation of venture capitalists supporting Europe’s NewSpace ecosystem. Alpine Space Ventures is among the first European funds focused exclusively on space technologies, investing in companies working on satellite infrastructure, launch systems, and in-orbit services. Zoenen works closely with founders to identify promising technologies and help startups scale. By providing specialized capital and strategic support, she helps ensure that Europe’s emerging space companies can compete globally.
Dr. Antje Nötzold – Bringing Security Strategy into the Space Age
As space becomes a strategic domain, questions of security and governance are gaining urgency. Dr. Antje Nötzold, Senior Researcher at Bundeswehr University Munich, focuses on how to maintain stability in orbit. Through the Support for Arms Control in Space (SACS) project, her research explores military uses of space, transparency measures, and international norms that could reduce the risk of conflict. Nötzold also contributes to international dialogue through roles at
Chemnitz University of Technology, CASSIS in Bonn, and the American-German Institute in Washington. Her work highlights the growing importance of policy frameworks to ensure that space remains a safe and cooperative domain.
Aarti Holla-Maini – Bridging Commercial Space and Global Governance
As Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), Aarti Holla-Maini plays a central role in shaping global space governance. Before joining the UN, she spent many years in the satellite industry, most notably as Secretary General of the Global Satellite Operators Association, representing commercial operators worldwide. Today she brings that industry experience into international policy discussions, helping ensure that space governance evolves alongside the rapidly expanding commercial space sector. By connecting governments, industry, and emerging space nations, she works to promote sustainable, inclusive, and cooperative use of outer space.
Cécile Deprez – Championing Inclusion in Europe’s Space Community
Cécile Deprez, a scientific researcher at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), combines cutting-edge technical work with advocacy for inclusion in STEM.
For more than six years they have worked on satellite positioning and next-generation GNSS technologies, focusing on advanced positioning for Low Earth Orbit satellites and high-accuracy navigation systems.
Alongside their research, Deprez is an intersectional LGBTQIA+ activist who gives talks on sexism, microaggressions, and allyship in STEM. At DLR they are co-founded and coordinate multiple employee resource groups, while also contributing to Women in Aerospace Europe initiatives on intersectionality and visibility.
Their work demonstrates that technical excellence and social advocacy can go hand in hand.
Claudia Kessler – Expanding Who Gets to Go to Space
Claudia Kessler, aerospace engineer and founder of Die Astronautin, is working to open human spaceflight to a broader and more diverse generation. The initiative aims to send the first German female astronaut to the International Space Station while inspiring young people – especially girls – to pursue careers in STEM. Kessler is also co-founder of Women in Aerospace Europe, one of the continent’s most influential networks supporting women in the space sector. As Business Development Manager at SPiN – Space Innovation Network, she helps connect startups, industry, and institutions. Through advocacy, entrepreneurship, and outreach, she has become a key voice for diversity in Europe’s space ecosystem.
Dr. Charlotte Bewick – Engineering a Safer Future in Orbit
As space becomes more crowded, sustainability in orbit is increasingly critical. Charlotte Bewick, Head of Science, Exploration and Space Safety at OHB System, is helping address this challenge. Her department works on early-stage concepts for future missions, exploring technologies and architectures that may shape upcoming European space programs. Bewick also leads OHB’s Space Debris Centre of Competence, focusing on debris mitigation and safer spacecraft design. As satellite constellations grow, such solutions are becoming essential to keeping orbit usable. Through her work, she helps ensure that Europe’s next generation of space systems is both technologically ambitious and environmentally responsible.
