Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship Program

Ever wondered what it’s like to experience #zerogravity? The Aurelia Institute Horizon Zero Gravity Flight program brought 48 fliers and 24 projects to microgravity across two parabolic flights - including two MIFP alumni representatives! In their own words… Cadence Payne(’20): “Experiencing the absence of gravity forced a sense of vulnerability that moved my perspective towards a deeper appreciation for how our planet protects us. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to experience a small taste of human space flight and extend my support to projects that will help better our world from space on behalf of the Matt Fellowship.” Halen Mattison (’21) : “True weightlessness is unlike anything I’ve done before. Even after working in human spaceflight for years, nothing compares to experiencing it yourself. It was awesome to get to support some of the technology testing and startup demonstrations onboard Aurelia’s flight and further the dream of expanding the commercial space industry.”

Before heading into next month’s #MIFPsummit, former NASA Astronaut and USAF Colonel Cady Coleman, PhD wrapped up our 2024 MIFP class’ Virtual Speaker Series! 👩🚀 Cady shared insights into her adventures in space — including two space shuttle missions and a six-month expedition to the ISS (and even divulged the best / worst food in space:)). PS - Keep an eye out this summer for Cady’s new book, “Sharing Space: an astronaut’s guide to mission, wonder, and making change” - out now!

Next up in the 2024 MIFP class’ speaker series: Alan Stern - planetary scientist and former head of all NASA science missions! As the Principal Investigator of “New Horizons “- the first mission to explore Pluto and the Kuiper Belt, Alan played a critical role in conducting the farthest exploration in the history of humankind. Throwing up our “Pluto Salute” in honor of our favorite dwarf planet 9️⃣

Startup insights and career advice from Melanie Stricklan = the perfect way to kickoff our 2024 virtual talk series, a fun opportunity for the Matthew Isakowitz Fellows to engage directly with commercial space industry leaders. Stricklan spoke about combining her military experience and love of space to co-found Slingshot Aerospace. And just today, she was named inaugural Executive Director of Space Workforce 2030, a first-of-its-kind collaborative effort to build an inclusive workforce! Thank you Melanie for the great discussion—and congrats on the new role!

Officially kicked off this year’s Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship Program with a Zoom gathering of the 2024 Fellows. Great connecting with these 31 future space leaders as we gear up for a very exciting summer. Stay tuned for updates on these rising superstars in the weeks (and years!) ahead. Ad Astra 🚀✨

🚀 Announcing the Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship Program’s Class of 2024! https://lnkd.in/egzpBeFa   Join us in congratulating these 31 exceptional students whose passion for commercial spaceflight has earned them a spot in the 2024 #MattFellowship Program! Throughout the rigorous selection process, these individuals stood out for their demonstrated passion for innovation, entrepreneurship, and commercial space.⁣ Each Fellow will intern at a cutting-edge commercial space company, get paired with an executive mentor, attend an unforgettable summit, and join a lifelong community of space leaders. ⁣ Now in its seventh year, the #MattFellowship includes 200 current and alumni Fellows. Thank you to all those who have applied for, participated in, and supported this Program...in doing so, you help honor Matthew's passion for exploring our universe to help better humankind. #AdAstra