Space Station Design Workshop
SSDW 2025 Experts
Like every year, we’ve gathered a group of excellent people in their respective fields to guide our participants through the Space Station Design Workshop. These Experts were partially on-site and partially available for consultation via online meetings.
Introducing the SSDW 2025 experts,
the companies they’re involved in,
and their expertise at the workshop:
Anna Chrobry
CS Sopra Steria
Project Management
Dr. Anna Chrobry’s journey into the space industry is fueled by a profound commitment to environmental sustainability and technological innovation. Contributing to this field allows her to be part of something larger than herself – pushing boundaries and shaping the future of life on Earth and beyond.
Fabian Eilingsfeld
IABG
Cost & Risk
“My fascination with human spaceflight began at age five, watching Apollo 8 orbit the Moon on Christmas Eve 1968 – a moment that sparked a lifelong passion for space exploration. Today, I channel that passion into guiding cost and risk decisions that help transform visionary space missions into sustainable realities for future generations.”
Nicolaus Millin
PRICE Systems
Cost & Risk
“Sky is not our limit – Space is our future home.”
Sven Weikert
Astos Solutions
Mission Analysis
Marius Schwinning
ESA
Mission Analysis
“I have participated (2015) and organized (2016-2019) the SSDW and ever since support the workshop in mission analysis and systems engineering topics as expert. It’s always enthralling to see the dynamics of the workshop and the solution of the teams to the challenging statement of work.”
Barbara Imhof
Liquifer
Architecture
“Designing for life in space, particularly in microgravity, is one of the most fascinating challenges. We must completely rethink how we design interior environments to enable living in a fully three-dimensional space where the human body is constantly in motion. This has profund implications for architecture – where beds and chairs are no longer necessary, and where there is no clear sense of up or down.”
Claas Olthoff
Uni Stuttgart
Life Support Systems
“When I was 5 years old I was lucky enough to visit the Kennedy Space Center in Florida with my dad. From that moment on I knew I wanted to be involved in human spaceflight. Working with like-minded, driven and enthusiastic people on keeping humans alive in space is the best job on Earth (and in space)!”
Gisela Detrell
TU Munich
Life Support Systems
“I am eager to contribute to make human spaceflight exploration possible, because space exploration allows us to understand the world we live in and to go beyond what seems possible.”
Lina Salman
TU Munich
Life Support Systems
“Exploring is part of our nature, we are drawn to the unknown, to expand, to understand and to improve the lives we are living. Space is the next step for human exploration. Keeping astronauts alive when travelling to space and other celestial bodies is what I hope to contribute to.”
Felicitas Leese
Uni Stuttgart
Life Support Systems
“The human nature is an exploratory one. Humans always want to venture farther and faster! To enable this journey into space, we need to keep astronauts alive, healthy & happy. Contributing to these solutions as part of a diverse, interdisciplinary team fosters creativity and opens up entirely new perspectives.”
Tharshan Maheswaran
Uni Stuttgart
ISRU
“Curiosity and ambitions have led mankind to create many Earth monuments. Now, we are entering an era focused on sustainable space exploration and colonization of celestial bodies. My fascination for space exploration stems from developing technologies that create a foundation for becoming a multiplanetary species.”
Judith Reindl
UdBw Munich
Radiation
” As a radiation expert, I am driven by a deep fascination with how space environments challenge our understanding of particle interactions and biological resilience. The Space Station Design Workshop offers a unique opportunity to apply this knowledge in a collaborative, interdisciplinary setting to help future experts to shape safer and more innovative solutions for human space exploration.”
Christian Mayer
Uni Stuttgart
Life Support Systems
“Human space exploration requires pushing beyond the boundaries of current technology. I aspire to be part of this new chapter of crewed spaceflight – the goal of sustaining a human presence beyond Earth’s orbit.”
Darren Berlein
CS Sopra Steria
Human Factors
“As an architect, I’m driven by the challenge of designing for extreme environments, where every spatial decision carries real human consequence. Space station environments dictate how astronauts interact and carry out their operations and my motivation lies in creating habitats that support not just survival but comfort, usability and psychological performance in orbit.”
Laura Grill
TU Munich
ISRU
“The interdisciplinarity of space-related science and technology development fascinates me. People coming together from different backgrounds with different levels of expertise to work on the same task makes me look forward to the SSDW.”
Marius Eilenberger
DLR
EPS
“The SSDW is a chance to dive into real engineering challenges while living out a science fiction adventure for a week. It’s an opportunity to apply and share my knowledge in spacecraft power systems and to learn from others across disciplines in designing future space missions.”
Martin Altenburg
Airbus
Thermal
” It’s science fiction becoming real. It allows me to act in a multidisciplinary environment, which leads to many challenges and opportunities.”
Michael Labidi
Airbus
System Engineering
“When I was 8 years old I wanted to be an Astronaut. I had the pleasure to study Aerospace Technology at the University of Stuttgart and since then I worked for Airbus nearly all the time in Human Space Flight Operations. I want to share my passion and knowledge for Space Stations to support the next generation on their path into this fascinating world.”
Sarah Bartha
Airbus
EPS
“Having been fascinated by the stars since I was a kid, I love working in the space industry because it’s where groundbreaking technology meets the vast unknown, constantly challenging us to innovate and build a better future.”
Marcin Gnat
DLR
Communications
“I’m electrical engineer and space enthusiast. I like to create new things and concepts and also to teach young people to continue that work and do the same. I strongly believe working on very versatile and international space projects brings people closer together and further in development.”
Pierre Lagadrilliere
DLR
Communications
“For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated at what I can observe in the sky. Planes, satellites, stars, planets … Today, I am more than happy to join SSDW so that I can share my passion about Space and pass on my knowledge on ground stations and satellite communication.”
Riccardo Sgobbo
Airbus D&S
Structures
“I´m looking forward to another very exciting SSDW and to help the students during the design phase of the project. Last year was really fun!”
Rafael Harillo
STARDUST Consulting
Space Law
“Space activities are hard, but developing the activity in the space ecosystem is hardest. To have the opportunity to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams for develop space activities is amazing and to share my field of expertise, closer to the real activity, is amazing. “
Claudiu Mortan
PEROSOL Space
EPS (Solar Cells)
“The unique challenges of space demand bold and efficient energy solutions. I am motivated by the opportunity to contribute to the development of lightweight, high-performance photovoltaics for space applications and to collaborate with others at the forefront of innovation in this field.”
Denis Acker
University of Stuttgart
Robotics and Transportation
“From joining SSDW 2021 as a participant to returning as an organizer and now an expert, this workshop sparked a passion that shaped my career. At the IRS and with my passionate team at ASTRAEUS, having its roots at the workshop, I work on sustainable lunar infrastructure and robotic systems, each step bringing us closer to returning to our not-so-distant neighbor, the Moon.“
Tina Koch
DLR
Jury
“My fascination for space exploration started when I was working as a biologist on the effect of space radiation on the astronaut at DLR. I am inspired by how the workshop brings together young talents from all over the world, working together in the field of space exploration where everyone shares the enthusiasm for the same topic.”
Daniela Hinderer
Ministry of Economy Labour and Tourism, State of BaWü
Jury
“Space travel has always thrived on imagining and making the seemingly unattainable possible. As a social scientist, I can also make my contribution to this and, by supporting aerospace in our state, contribute to innovation and our security. Let’s continue to take off together – with courage, ideas, and responsibility for Baden-Württemberg, for Germany, and for Europe.”
Chris Welch
Space-IST
Jury
“With over three decades in academia, I have a commitment to mentoring the next generation, and advancing innovative space solutions. I view the SSDW as a very important platform to inspire emerging talents and foster collaborative design in human spaceflight.”
Reinhold Ewald
Uni Stuttgart
Jury
Stephanos Fasoulas
Uni Stuttgart
Jury
Marc Haese
DLR