The Seventh Annual Australian Space Awards: A Night of Recognition
The seventh annual Australian Space Awards ceremony took place on Wednesday, June 18, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency in Sydney. The event celebrated 28 winners selected from a pool of over 160 finalists, with comedian Mark Humphries serving as host.
Top Honors
Roxane Bandini-Maeder, CEO of Geoneon, received the Excellence Award and was named Female Space Leader of the Year.
Geoneon, a Hobart-based Earth observation company, was also recognized as Business of the Year – SME.
Individual and Institutional Winners
Individual award recipients included representatives from:
- University of Sydney Law School
- Flinders University's Jeff Bleich Centre for Democracy and Disruptive Technologies
- AFTdynamics
- Gilmour Space Technologies
- Electro Optic Systems
Corporate and Team Winners
Organizations recognized in corporate and team categories included:
- Neumann Space
- Robinson Aerospace Systems
- University of New South Wales
- Australian National University's Institute for Space (InSpace)
- Northrop Grumman Australia
Award Categories
The awards covered a broad range of fields, including:
- Engineering
- Scientific research
- Executive leadership
- Entrepreneurship
- Emerging talent
- Diversity
Background on Geoneon
Geoneon is a space-enabled technology company that uses satellite imagery, artificial intelligence, and data fusion to map climate risk and vegetation.
In 2024, the company produced the Greater Hobart Bushfire Exposure Index, updated in 2025, which assesses fire exposure for approximately 112,000 buildings.
Bandini-Maeder was also named the 2025 Tasmania Pearcey Entrepreneur of the Year in 2024.
Statements
Steve Kuper, Defence & Aerospace Lead at Momentum Markets, stated that 2026 marked a defining period for the sector, describing it as a "turning point where many plans became reality." He congratulated the winners and finalists.
In a statement, Bandini-Maeder said the awards recognize the downstream space sector's role in using satellite data for real-world applications. She noted that satellite data is most effective when it "helps communities prepare and build resilience."
Full List
The complete list of winners is available from the event organizers.