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Meet the team

Laura González Llamazares

Hypatia II: Backup, Engineer
Hypatia III: Engineer, Executive Officer

B.Eng. and M.A. in Aerospace Engineering, Executive MBA. Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Radian Systems, SME focused on thermal analysis for space.

Laura González is the Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of Radian Systems, a company simplifying thermal analysis for space. Laura has worked as Systems Engineer and AIT for the European Space Agency science missions at INTA (ATHENA and PLATO). As Space Manufacturing Lead at Satellite Applications Catapult, she contributed to supporting space organizations in developing their technologies through advanced manufacturing techniques, including metal 3D printing of rocket engines. Laura holds a B.A. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of León (Spain), with a year of studies at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. She holds a M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering from the University Carlos III of Madrid, and she has further enriched her expertise through an Executive MBA from EAE Business School. She is a volunteer for STEM Talent Girl, Inspiring Girls and is the National Contact Point of the Space Generation Advisory Council in Spain, organizing events and supporting the community of passionate space students and young professionals.

Research projects

Engineering

Satellite Imagery Station

The project proposes the installation of a low-cost antenna system—based on a dipole antenna, Raspberry Pi, and USB radio dongle—to receive real-time NOAA satellite images. This setup, already tested through an SGAC program, enables the astronauts to monitor weather and local terrain, connect to the SatNOGS global network, and participate in practical satellite-communication activities. Previous deployments in countries such as the Philippines, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Rwanda demonstrated the project’s success in empowering communities through hands-on space technology. At the Martian base, the project provides resources that allow space enthusiasts and the public to engage with real satellite operations, schedule satellite pass downloads, and participate in educational events. It also aims to build a global community through webinars, outreach, and support for additional antenna installations, contributing to broader awareness and participation in the space sector.

Engineering

3D printing tools on Mars

Additive manufacturing is considered a key enabling technology for future space missions, offering increased autonomy and flexibility in environments with limited resupply capabilities. This project investigated the application of 3D printing in an analogue Martian environment at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) during a 12-SOL mission. The study focused on the integration of a fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer into daily mission operations to support research, engineering, and outreach activities using recycled polylactic acid (PLA) as printing material.

The project scope included the design and fabrication of structural components related to solar panel support systems, with test objects intended to evaluate resistance to environmental stressors such as wind and dust. These components were deployed externally during extravehicular activities to ensure exposure to realistic analogue conditions. In addition, the 3D printer was used to produce functional tools for geological fieldwork, enabling rapid design iteration and on-demand manufacturing in a remote and resource-limited setting. The project also incorporated an educational outreach component through the fabrication of tools designed by students as part of a design competition. Selected designs were manufactured and prepared for use in analogue mission activities, illustrating the potential of additive manufacturing as an educational and engagement tool. Throughout the mission, the printer was operated continuously to assess its integration into a simulated planetary habitat workflow and to identify operational constraints relevant to future space missions.

Outreach activities

Short videos

STEM: Physics with Hypatia

Have you ever wondered what would happen if we played a football match in space? Or how the GPS on your mobile phone works? This series of 17 short videos answers surprising questions and immerses you in the science and technology of everyday life.

Educational project

Families go to Mars

What would it be like to travel to Mars? Meet the analogue astronauts from the Hypatia missions and take part in fun science and technology activities about space. Enjoy learning as a family alongside inspiring women role models in STEM.