Anita Sengupta

Dr. Anita Sengupta is an aerospace engineer, commercial pilot, rocket scientist, and veteran of the space program.

She has developed technologies that have enabled the exploration of Mars, asteroids, and deep space for 20 years. Her career began with launch vehicles and communication satellites at Boeing Space and Communications. She then worked for NASA for 16 years where her engineering projects included her PhD research on developing the ion propulsion system for the Dawn Mission (currently in the main asteroid belt), the supersonic parachute that landed the Curiosity rover on Mars, and the Cold Atom Laboratory an atomic physics facility on board the International Space Station.

After leaving NASA she moved into the high-tech transportation sector and led the development of the Hyperloop as Senior Vice President of Systems Engineering at Virgin Hyperloop, a ground based transportation system that operates under vacuum and at jet aircraft speeds.

Her most recent role as founder/CEO of Hydroplane Ltd., which is developing hydrogen fuel cell power plant technology for carbon emission free aviation. Hydroplane is an awardee of two prestigious US Air Force Agility Prime contract to develop the novel hydrogen fuel cell powerplant for a range of commercial and governmental use cases.

Dr. Sengupta is also Professor of Astronautical engineering at the University of Southern California, Captain and transport mission pilot in the civil air patrol, and an avid mountain biker, hiker, and motorcyclist.