Sky High Dreams for 2026 with the Debut Global Space Awards

Award style out of this stratosphere for the Global Space Awards (GSA) at the end of last year, these awards celebrate outstanding achievements in Space Innovation. They shine a spotlight on the breakthroughs, leaders, innovators, entrepreneurs, and mission leaders defining the future of space science, technology and sustainability, who are shaping the future of space exploration and space enabled industries.

The launch of the GSA’s in November began quite literally by reaching for the edge of space. To announce the finalists, they sent the award aboard a high-altitude space balloon, capturing a moment that reflected the ambition and imagination behind GSA.

While the mission didn’t go exactly to plan – the balloon crash-landed in a marsh and the astronaut was ultimately lost – it perfectly captured the spirit of space itself: bold ideas, calculated risk, and the acceptance that exploration doesn’t always follow a tidy script.

The inaugural Global Space Awards gala at the Natural History Museum was nothing short of extraordinary, hosted by the world-renowned physicist and author Brian Greene. Set beneath Hintze Hall’s iconic architecture, the evening brought together leaders from science, industry, policy, and investment to celebrate excellence across the space ecosystem. “From inspiring speeches to the recognition of ground-breaking work, the first GSA exceeded our hopes and marked the beginning of what we aim to build as a lasting global platform for the space community.” Said Avantika Gupta Principal of Type One Ventures.

“Until now, there has been no unified global platform recognizing these historic accomplishments,” officials said in a statement announcing the awards gala. “The Global Space Awards were created to fill that void — shining a spotlight on the breakthroughs, technologies, and visionaries setting new benchmarks for space innovation at one iconic annual event.”

Winners included University of Leicester lecturer Dr Beatriz Sanchez-Cano won the Science Breakthrough Award for her work on a mission relating to Mars. Dr Sanchez-Cano said:  “It was fantastic to attend the awards at the Natural History Museum in London and to see so many illustrious people from the space community.”

Other honourees included:
• Partnership of the Year: Starlab
• Sustainability for Earth: Space Forge
• Sustainability for Space: Astroscale
• Space Investor of the Year: Joshua Broom and Mark Barry from Seraphim Space
• SuperScaler of the Year: CubeSpace Satellite Systems
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Captain Jim Lovell, accepted on his behalf by members of his family in recognition of his historic contributions to human spaceflight and enduring leadership in the global space community.

“Congratulations to all the nominees and award winners,” said Commercial Astronaut James “J.D.” Russell. “The quality of companies, founders, and technical teams represented at the Global Space Awards speaks to the strength and maturity of the global space sector. It was an honour to help recognise those who are building the mission critical capabilities that will define the next generation of space exploration and commercial activity in orbit and beyond.”

& he said of the advisors and judges of this exciting debut event – “Their experience and commitment ensured that the awards reflect true excellence across the industry.”

The event culminated with the presentation of the inaugural James Lovell Legacy Award to the late astronaut’s family. “My dad always had a saying, ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained,’ and [he] was all about satisfying mankind’s curiosity,” Jeffrey Lovell, the youngest son of astronaut James Lovell said on the red carpet. In future years, the award will be bestowed upon individuals who honour the spirit of James Lovell, who, with Frank Borman and Bill Anders, was one of the first humans in history to orbit Earth’s moon & witness its far side during the Apollo 8 mission.

NEW YEAR – NEXT LEVEL AWARDS IN OUTERSPACE

A creation inspired by orbital elegance and cosmic precision – its design celebrates humanity’s growing connection between Earth and the Stars. More than a symbol, it embodies inspiration, exploration, and global collaboration – the unity and diversity driving us forward into a new era of Space. The stunning award came to reality as a 3D printed model with a bright gold metallic finish & weighty black anodised aluminium engraved base.

The client from Type One Ventures had this to say about working with EFX on their out of this world awards – “EFX were responsive, flexible, and collaborative, accommodating changes and requests as the concept evolved. The finished trophy has since become a lasting symbol of the Global Space Awards and the values we set out to celebrate.”