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Meet the team

Anna Sabaté Garcia

Hypatia III: Engineer

M.Sc. in Aerospace from BarcelonaTech, PhD in Computational and Applied Physics. Innovation Funding Consultant at Zaz Ventures.

Anna Sabaté is an aerospace science and technology professional with over 14 years of experience in microgravity research and aerospace innovation. She is currently Innovation Funding Consultant at Zaz Ventures. Anna has designed, built, and analyzed experiments through programs of international space agencies, and supported institutions to access space. Previously, she was Technical Head and Business Development Manager at Space Faculty (Singapore), Education Manager at TechShop Abu Dhabi and Post-Doctoral Associate in bioengineering at NYU Abu Dhabi, integrating her microgravity background into mechanobiology research (LIBRA). She co-founded and presided SELGRA, serves on the management committee of ELGRA, and is a member of COSPAR’s Panel on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility. Anna is passionate about translating space research into meaningful benefits for life on Earth. She holds a PhD in Computational and Applied Physics and an MSc in Aerospace from BarcelonaTech.

Research projects

Outreach and communication

Spacetatoullie: Designing a 24-Hour Space Menu for Astronaut Health and Performance

In collaboration with the Space Faculty in Singapore and the winners of their 17th International Space Challenge, we explored the design of a 24-hour menu for astronauts living in space. This initiative investigates how astronauts maintain a balanced diet in microgravity, how food is prepared for space consumption, and the innovative methods used to package it for safe transport. This research evaluates nutritional science, space food logistics, and the critical role of a well-balanced diet in sustaining health and performance in extreme environments.

Engineering

Drone-enabled habitat integrity monitoring and positioning system

Crewed space missions rely on automation to handle repetitive or hazardous tasks, allowing astronauts to focus on critical objectives. This proposal expands Hypatia’s earlier drone research to include habitat condition monitoring. Equipped with sensors such as RGB, infrared, near-infrared, or LiDAR, drones will assess habitat structural integrity, detect heat loss, and generate detailed 3D models of habitats and surroundings. In collaboration with industry partners, the project aims to provide rapid, reliable evaluations of habitat status. Additionally, the area 3D mapping will aim to be coupled with a local ground-based positioning system that will enhance crew safety and operational efficiency through precise, infrastructure-independent location tracking.