ELECTION COMMITTEE - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Advisory Council
• Advisory Council, Member Ad Interim

Dr. Sreekumar is an astrophysicist by training and is currently the Satish Dhawan Professor at ISRO and advisor to the Space Science Program office at ISRO HQ. After his BSc from the University of Kerala and MSc in Physics from the Indian Institute of Technology -Bombay, he pursued his Ph.D research on gamma-ray astronomy at the University of New Hampshire, USA. His post-doctoral research focused on the emerging area of observing the Universe in gamma-rays using NASA's Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. After a decade at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, he joined ISRO in 1999 to head the astronomy Division at the ISRO Satellite Center. In 2013, he went on deputation from ISRO as Director of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. In2018, he returned to ISRO HQ as the Director of the Space Science Program office until his superannuation in Jan 2020. Dr. Sreekumar is the Co-PI of India's first dedicated astronomy observatory, AstroSat; he has been the Principal Investigator of payloads on lunar missions and currently participates as member/Chair of many review committees, linked to Space Science missions of ISRO. He is also part of many senior-level management committees of international programs with Indian collaborations, including the LIGO-India program, the SKA-India and the India-TMT programs.

Job Titles:

• Advisory Council
• Executive Director of Secure World Foundation
• Home Team MVA Advisory Council Michael Simpson
• SWF As the Senior Program Officer

"The idea of a diverse human community living and working on the Moon is increasingly capturing the imagination of people around the world. I look forward to helping to identify opportunities and resolve challenges as we evolve from ideas to reality in the years to come." - Mike Simpson Dr. Michael K. Simpson is the Executive Director of Secure World Foundation. Dr. Simpson joined SWF as the Senior Program Officer in September 2011 following seven and a half years as President of the International Space University (ISU). Dr. Simpson holds a post as Professor of Space Policy and International Law at ISU. He is a member of the International Academy of Astronautics and the International Institute of Space Law and is a Senior Fellow of the International Institute of Space Commerce. After 23 years of service, Dr. Simpson retired from the Naval Reserve in 1993 with the rank of Commander. Dr. Simpson's practical experience includes service as a Political Military Action Officer, observer representative to the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, participating organization representative to the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) and member of the Association of Space Explorers International Panel on Asteroid Threat Mitigation. He currently serves on the Commercial Spaceflight Safety and Space Security Committees of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and is a Vice Chair of the Hague Space Resources Governance Working Group. He sits on the governing board of the World Space Week Association, and is a governor of the National Space Society in the United States. Dr. Simpson is the author of numerous scholarly papers, presentations, articles and book contributions.

Job Titles:

• Advisory Council
• Home Team MVA Advisory Council Dumitru - Dorin Prunariu
• Member and Trustee of the International Academy of Astronautics

Dumitru-Dorin Prunariu accomplished an 8-day space flight on board Soyuz-40 spacecraft and Saliut-6 space station in May 1981. Prunariu is a member of the Board of the Romanian Space Agency and an expert with the Romanian Association for Space Technology and Industry - ROMSPACE. He is also a retired Lieutenant-General of the Romanian Airforce. Prunariu is one of the founding members of the Association of Space Explorers (ASE) back in 1985. Between 2011 - 2014 Prunariu served as elected president of ASE International, serving also as president of ASE Europe between 2010-2016. Since 2005 he has been a member of the ASE Committee on Near Earth Objects (NEO). Since 1978 Prunariu was an active officer of the Romanian Air Force. For different periods of time Prunariu was detached within other ministries to perform civil functions. In January 1990 Prunariu was assigned the position of Deputy Minister to the Ministry of Transportation and Chief of the Romanian Civil Aviation Department, exercising this position for 1.5 years. In 1991 Prunariu graduated from the International Aviation Management Training Institute (IAMTI/IIFGA) located in Montreal, Canada. Between 1992 and 1993 Prunariu was a Co-leader of the World Bank Project on reorganization of the higher education and research system in Romania. Since 1995 Prunariu has been acting Vice-President of the European Institute for Risk, Security and Communication Management (EURISC) based in Bucharest. Between 1998 - 2004, he was the President of the Romanian Space Agency. Starting with 2004, he served for almost two years as the itinerary Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania to the Russian Federation. Prunariu was the elected chairman of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS), holding this position between June 2010-June 2012. Prunariu is a full member and trustee of the International Academy of Astronautics, since 2011 is a Honorary Member of the Romanian Academy, and since 2015 a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. In 2012 he was appointed as one of the 15 experts of the Group of Governmental Experts on outer space transparency and confidence-building measures (TCBM), established by the UN General Assembly Resolution 65/68. For a mandate, since 2014 until 2017 Prunariu used to be the vice-chair of the International Relations Committee of the European Space Agency (ESA). Prunariu was also a member of the task force elaborating a report on Space Security for Europe in the framework of the European Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), issued in 2016. Prunariu is a co-author of several books regarding space technology and space flight, has published numerous scientific papers and delivered a large number of scientific lectures to audiences all around the world. He earned a degree in aerospace engineering from the University POLITEHNICA of Bucharest (1976) and a Ph.D. in the field of space flight dynamics (1999). Prunariu is a Honorary Citizen of several cities and Doctor Honoris Causa of several higher education institutions from Romania, Republic of Moldova and USA. In 2017 an asteroid was given the name of the first Romanian cosmonaut, respectively "Asteroid 10707 Prunariu".

Job Titles:

• Chief Designer
• Head
• Advisory Council, Member Ad Interim
• Home Team MVA Advisory Council Maksym Degtiarev

Maksym Degtiarev is Chief Designer, Head of Design Division, Launch Vehicles and Space Launch Systems at Yuzhnoye State Design Office (Ukraine). Since 2000 throughout career at Yuzhnoye State Design Office Mr. Degtiarev was involved in key projects on space launch systems development. Being in the position of Lead Designer, the Antares Program Manager he was responsible for planning and organization of all works under the Antares Program at Yuzhnoye SDO: managing technical requirements, budget, schedules, subcontractors network & supplies, program risks, missions plans and other key aspects of the program implementation. As Chief Designer, Head of Design Division, Launch Vehicles & Space Launch Systems Mr. Degtiarev organizes and performs technical management of Yuzhnoye design works on development of perspective space launch systems of light, medium and heavy classes as well as engineering activities under on-going programs such as Antares Program and Cyclone-4M. Another area of Mr. Degtiarev`s professional interests is advancement of lunar exploration technologies. Technical team under supervision of Mr. Degtiarev is pursuing development of lunar landers, power supply systems, innovation equipment for transportation on the lunar surface and other systems essential for establishment and operation of Lunar Base. Mr. Degtiarev is Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics, Member of Moon Village Association. Currently, Mr. Degtiarev is preparing to defend thesis on "Selection of Rational Parameters and Reduction in Material Consumption of Launch Vehicle Aft Bays" for Ph.D. in Engineering Sciences with specialization in design, manufacturing and testing of aircraft.

Job Titles:

• Home Team MVA Advisory Council Olavo De O. Bittencourt Neto
• Professor of International Law at the Catholic University

Professor of International Law at the Catholic University of Santos. Arbitrator for space related disputes at the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Member of the Board of the International Institute of Space Law. Co-vice chair of the Hague International Space Resources Governance Working Group. Delegate at the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Air and Space Law. Member of the Brazilian Association of Air and Space Law and the Ibero-American Institute of Aeronautical and Space Law and Commercial Aviation. Recipient of the IISL Diederiks-Verschoor Award.

Job Titles:

• Advisory Council
• President
• Home Team MVA Advisory Council Pascale Ehrenfreund
• Research Professor of Space Policy

Pascale Ehrenfreund is the President of the International Space University and Research Professor of Space Policy and International Affairs at the Space Policy Institute/George Washington University in Washington DC. She is also the President of the International Astronautical Federation IAF and Visiting Professor at Leiden Observatory. Since three decades she contributed as Principal Investigator, Co-Investigator and Teamleader to ESA and NASA astronomy and planetary missions as well as experiments in low Earth orbit and on the International Space Station. Pascale Ehrenfreund was the Chair of the Executive Board of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) between 2015-2020 and the President of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) from 2013-2015. Pascale Ehrenfreund holds a Master degree in Molecular Biology, a PhD in Astrophysics, and a Master degree in Management & Leadership.