Matthew Isakowitz Rising Star Award

The Matthew Isakowitz Rising Star Award recognizes early career individuals with exceptional promise of furthering the commercial space industry and becoming future industry icons. Recipients will have demonstrated leadership, initiative, and innovation—for example, by founding a company, enabling new markets, or driving the next wave of breakthrough technologies or novel applications. The honor will be presented at the annual Commercial Space Conference hosted by the Commercial Space Federation (CSF) in Washington DC, and the recipients will be recognized on the CSF website.

2025 Award Recipient

Shaurya Luthra

Shaurya Luthra is a technology leader dedicated to solving one of the space industry’s most pressing challenges: Scaling ground infrastructure to manage the ever-growing volume of satellite data. As Head of Software & Cofounder at Northwood Space, Shaurya’s career is defined by a blend of fortunate choices, unwavering passion, and a deep desire to make a positive impact on the world.

Shaurya, born in India and raised in the U.S., has been shaped by a strong sense of purpose instilled by his family and community. His early achievements, including becoming an Eagle Scout and serving as a volunteer firefighter, reinforced his commitment to service. His fascination with space took flight during his time at Cornell, where he earned both a B.S. and an M.Eng. in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Inspired by visionaries like Carl Sagan and the real-world impact of space technology, Shaurya set his sights on a career dedicated to driving meaningful change.

Shaurya began his career at Lockheed Martin Space, where he contributed to critical IC/DoD systems and gained invaluable insights into the vital role of space data in national security. His work on advanced ground operations laid a strong foundation for his future in space communications. Seeking to maximize his personal impact, Shaurya transitioned to Capella Space—a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) remote sensing company with a mission to revolutionize the use of SAR data. At Capella, he played an instrumental role in building the company’s ground segment, advancing from individual contributor to tech lead to manager. There, he led a team of 10 engineers, overseeing numerous projects that spanned the entire spectrum of data movement from space to ground.

A pivotal moment in his career occurred when, through mentor Duncan Eddy, Shaurya met his future co-founders, Bridgit Mendler and Griffin Cleverly. United by a shared enthusiasm for overcoming the challenges of scalable, reliable, and pervasive space communications, Shaurya joined as a co-founder of Northwood Space in 2023. Northwood Space aspires to become a vertically integrated manufacturer of ground stations, providing satellite operators with seamless access to their spacecraft. As Head of Software, Shaurya oversees the development of everything from high-speed networking software to the company’s global ground orchestration platform.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Shaurya's personal interests and values deeply influence his work. He enjoys reading textbooks for fun in his free time—a testament to his lifelong curiosity and passion for learning. Honored with the Matthew Isakowitz Rising Star Award, Shaurya strives to give more than he takes, always seeking opportunities to contribute positively. His motivation is deeply personal, fueled by a desire to honor the legacy of those who have guided him—family, mentors, and friends, including one whose memory he preserves through his work. Above all, he remains dedicated to pushing the boundaries of space communications and data utilization, hoping to continue to increase the impact he makes on this world.