Katherine Bennell-Pegg

Selected from more than 22,500 applicants, Katherine Bennell-Pegg graduated from Basic Astronaut Training in 2024 as the first international candidate trained as part of a class of six at the European Astronaut Centre in Germany, and the first Australian to qualify under the country's own space program. She holds an aeronautical engineering degree and a physics degree from the University of Sydney, plus dual master's degrees in space technology and engineering, and has worked as a space engineer, including a stint at Airbus in Germany working on projects such as the Orion capsule for Moon missions and Earth observation. She was named South Australia's 2026 Australian of the Year for her work in the space sector, and regularly speaks to school students and industry audiences about the path into space engineering.