AstroAid Foundation

🚀 Announcement: Director of AstroAid Global Summit 2026

We are proud to announce Dr. Yulia Akisheva as the Summit Director of the first AstroAid Global Summit (AGS) 2026, taking place at the METU Culture and Convention Center, Ankara, on 23–25 November 2026 in partnership with Middle East Technical University - METU. 🤝

Dr. Akisheva is an aerospace engineer specializing in radiation protection of astronauts, with a strong commitment to improving the health and safety of crews on long-duration exploration missions. She holds three master’s degrees in aerospace disciplines from top European institutions and has been recognized with a national engineer’s award in France. Her international experience includes work with the European Space Agency and ROSCOSMOS, as well as teaching roles at several universities across Europe.

She is also the founder of Our Giant Leap Hackathon, where she pioneered the use of space technology to address gender inequalities on Earth 🌍✨ The latest edition of the hackathon focuses on women’s health and healthcare.

As an independent consultant on space projects, Dr. Akisheva also supports STEM professionals through communication coaching and active writing.

🎉 More exciting summit updates will be announced soon.
📝 Registration will open soon — stay tuned.

We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Jen Hammons, PharmD, DrPH, to the AstroAid Foundation as our new Director of Space & Public Health Policy. 🌍🛰️

Dr. Jennifer Hammons is a public health strategist, pharmacist, and policy leader working at the intersection of global health, innovation, and emerging space policy. Her work focuses on improving how health systems reach underserved populations, with an emphasis on equity, access, and cross-sector collaboration.

Holding both a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) in Public Health Leadership, with specialization in Integrative and Preventive Care and Rural Health, Dr. Hammons brings a systems-level perspective to complex health challenges. She advances scalable, equity-driven models that expand access to care for underserved populations.

Dr. Hammons is expanding her work to the global stage through engagement in health diplomacy and policy at the intersection of space and public health. She is particularly interested in how space-based technologies can be leveraged to expand access to care and strengthen health systems in resource-limited and geographically isolated settings, with a focus on ethical, equity-driven innovation. 🚀

She is an emerging voice in global health leadership, bringing frontline experience into policy conversations and advocating for systems that prioritize people over geography. Her work reflects a commitment to advancing practical, scalable solutions that improve access to care and health outcomes across diverse settings.

Welcome to the team, Dr. Jen — we are truly delighted to have you with us. 💙

Eid Al-Adha Mubarak from AstroAid Foundation 🌙

May this blessed occasion bring peace, compassion, and renewed hope as we continue our mission to use space-enabled innovation to make healthcare more accessible for every community, everywhere. 🤍🚀🌍

🎉✨ Two years of connecting space & care 🌍🛰️

Today, we celebrate the 2nd anniversary of the AstroAid Foundation and the mission that continues to inspire us every day: using space technology to improve healthcare, strengthen resilience, and create meaningful impact for communities around the world 💙

This milestone belongs to everyone who has supported our journey — our team, advisors, ambassadors, partners, and friends 🤝 Thank you for believing in our vision and helping us turn purpose into progress.

Here’s to 2 years of growth, collaboration, and impact 🚀 and to many more ahead 🌟

AstroAid Foundation is proud to contribute to the 65th Session of the Legal Subcommittee (LSC) of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), held at the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) in Vienna.

The session brought together 110 Member States, 60 permanent observers, and several ad-hoc observers, including AstroAid Foundation, contributing to global discussions on the legal and policy frameworks governing outer space.

This year’s discussions are especially significant as the international community approaches the 60th anniversary of the Outer Space Treaty in 2027, with key focus areas including space sustainability, resource utilization, lunar activities, and space governance.

At AstroAid, we are particularly interested in how these evolving frameworks can support the use of space technologies for humanitarian response and global health.

Beyond the formal sessions, it has been a valuable opportunity to build meaningful connections, AstroAid is growing faster than ever, and we are excited about the momentum and collaborations emerging from these discussions. We look forward to following the discussions and contributing to this important global dialogue.

On this World Health Day, we are proud to officially announce a new milestone for AstroAid Foundation — we have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with The Health Wagon.

This partnership reflects our shared commitment to advancing healthcare access for underserved and remote communities, and to exploring innovative, space-enabled solutions for global health.

We are honored to begin this journey together and look forward to the impact we can create.

Wishing everyone a peaceful and hopeful Easter from all of us at AstroAid Foundation.

As we celebrate renewal, compassion, and new beginnings, we remain committed to advancing our mission of using space technology to improve healthcare access, strengthen resilience, and support communities around the world.

Happy Easter from AstroAid Foundation.

We are pleased to announce that Amber Cher has joined the AstroAid Foundation as Director of the AstroAid Virtual Forum 2026.

Amber joins the AstroAid team with a background in project coordination, strategy, and sustainable development, guided by a long-standing interest in how the Earth–space sector can better serve humanity. Having worked across North America, Europe, and Asia, her career has evolved toward the intersection of technology and policy, with a focus on ensuring that progress in the space sector remains inclusive and equitable.

Amber holds an M.Sc. in Sustainable Development from University College Dublin, where her research focused on integrating feminist theory into the commercial space sector. By aligning corporate practices with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she advocates for more equitable space governance. She has shared her insights at the Gender and Sexuality Politics Conference 2025 and contributed to global conversations on space policy and sustainability through participation in several international forums.

By joining AstroAid, she aims to translate her academic background and professional experience into meaningful and sustainable impact, using innovation to help bring healthcare to the communities that need it most. As Director of the AstroAid Virtual Forum 2026, Amber looks forward to fostering collaboration between the humanitarian and space sectors, helping ensure that the benefits of space innovation reach everyone, everywhere. 🌍🛰️🩺

Following the success of the first edition of the AstroAid Virtual Forum, we are now preparing for the second edition, and registration for the AstroAid Virtual Forum 2026 will be opening soon. 📝

Eid Mubarak from all of us at AstroAid Foundation.

May this Eid bring peace, renewed strength, and good health to you and your loved ones. In these times, we are reminded of the power of resilience, compassion, and unity - values that continue to guide our mission for healthier communities everywhere.