Dr. Anita Sengupta is an aerospace engineer, commercial pilot, and former NASA rocket scientist whose work spans planetary exploration and zero-emission transportation. She began her career at Boeing working on launch vehicles and communication satellites. She spent 16 years at NASA, where her PhD research on ion propulsion was used for the Dawn mission to the main asteroid belt. She also led development of the supersonic parachute that landed the Curiosity rover on Mars and was responsible for developing and leading NASA’s Cold Atom Laboratory, now aboard the International Space Station. Following NASA, she served as Senior Vice President of Systems Engineering at Virgin Hyperloop, leading development of a high-speed vacuum transport system. In 2020, she founded Hydroplane Ltd., where she serves as CEO, advancing hydrogen fuel cell power plants for zero-emission aviation and heavy transport. Under her leadership, Hydroplane secured U.S. Air Force Agility Prime, Navy, and Army contracts, won Army xTech 8, and is now a finalist in the Army xTech Humanoid competition. The company was named Innovation Company of the Year by the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency, recognized as a Top 50 Global Resiliency Company, and honored by Women and Drones as a Top Company for Women. Her honors include the National Aeronautics Association’s Stinson Trophy and the USPAAC SheRoes Trailblazer Award.