The six all travelled to the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan last month and are listed in full at the bottom of this article.
The award recognises individuals who have made a significant contribution to the emerging space industry in Australia. Winners can also submit a reviewed white paper to the government and industry.
Georgi Coddington, a University of Wollongong (UOW) student pursuing a double bachelor of mechatronic engineering and mathematics, was one of the six successful candidates.
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She was selected in recognition of her contributions to the Astra Program, a nationwide not-for-profit space education initiative by the Australian Youth Aerospace Association (AYAA).
Since joining Astra in 2022, Coddington has been actively involved and has served as program director since March of this year.
“I’ve learnt so much in the past three years like I never thought that working in the space industry was something that you could just go and do,” she said.
“To be able to speak at one of the most important and largest, space events in the world such as the IAC is a huge honour, especially before I’ve even finished my undergraduate studies.”
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Coddington’s team is working on increasing presence at the IAC which is being held in Sydney next year. She hopes the congress being held in Australia will inspire more people to pursue careers in space and is excited to meet more students interested in the field.
“The biggest challenge in the Australian space industry right now is Australia being able to establish itself as a trusted partner internationally because we’re quite an emerging nation, even though we’ve had presence in the space industry for a while.
“Through the Astra Program, we are dedicated to providing opportunities for young people to engage with the space sector, to hopefully foster growth, education, and development in the space industry.”
Sydney will hold the next IAC conference after the SIAA, and the event’s organisers formalised their agreement last December.
The five-day International Astronautical Congress is expected to attract around 7,000 delegates and will be held between 29 September and 3 October.
Organised by the International Astronautical Federation, the IAC is known as the Olympics of space and was first held in Paris in 1950.
Today, the IAF has 513 members in 77 different countries and includes some of the largest organisations in the space industry, from both the public and private sectors.
Australia has hosted it twice – initially with the 49th IAC in Melbourne in 1998 and then with the 68th IAC in Adelaide in 2017.
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Georgi Coddington: A double-degree student in mechatronic engineering and mathematics at the University of Wollongong, Coddington is also the director of the AYAA’s Astra Program. Coddington said, “Growing up rurally kindled my love for space and having the opportunity to start my career in the space sector is something that I am really proud of. I am excited to be a role model for our next generation of space leaders.”
Alana Liebelt: Currently pursuing a computer science degree at the University of Adelaide, Liebelt works as a space communicator at the Australian Space Discovery Centre and as an undergraduate software engineer at BAE Systems. She remarked, “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to attend the world’s largest space conference and connect with other passionate individuals in the global space sector. I look forward to using the valuable insights I will gain to contribute further to Australia’s space industry!”
James Gray: An engineering and physics student at Monash University with a passion for space travel and sustainability, Gray commented, “Thank you to all upcoming aerospace leaders who continuously put Australia on the map. I promise to represent us with integrity and show everyone that Australia has passionate youths with drive and vision. The future of sustainable space is in our hands.”
Nathanael Vazouras: Studying mechatronic engineering and science in astronomy and astrophysics at Macquarie University, Vazouras works with Thales and serves as a soldier in the Australian Army Reserves. He stated, “I am humbled to accept this award as there truly is an entire network of volunteers, colleagues, and sponsors who have enabled us to continue having such a positive impact on hundreds of students and young professionals in aerospace each year. It’s an extremely exciting time for the space industry in Australia, and I’m eager to continue contributing to its growth and watching it develop further on the international stage in the years to come.”
Thomas Molesworth: A BE (Hons)/ME student majoring in mechanical and aerospace engineering at The University of Queensland, Molesworth also volunteers as the lead systems engineer at UQ Space. He said, “I would like to sincerely thank AYAA for awarding me the YASL 2024 scholarship, giving me the awesome opportunity to travel to Milan to attend the International Astronautical Congress 2024. I am incredibly excited to go and learn as much as I can about the international aerospace industry, and I hope to share all of my experiences and learnings with my peers when I return.”
Patrick Underwood: An aerospace engineering (Hons) student at RMIT and leader of its 2024 Aurora V rocket team, Underwood expressed, “I am incredibly grateful and humbled by the AYAA for providing me with this award. I am excited to meet and discuss the future of space with our current and future industry leaders.”
Adam Thorn
Adam is a journalist who has worked for more than 40 prestigious media brands in the UK and Australia. Since 2005, his varied career has included stints as a reporter, copy editor, feature writer and editor for publications as diverse as Fleet Street newspaper The Sunday Times, fashion bible Jones, media and marketing website Mumbrella as well as lifestyle magazines such as GQ, Woman’s Weekly, Men’s Health and Loaded. He joined Momentum Media in early 2020 and currently writes for Australian Aviation and World of Aviation.
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