LOAY ELBASYOUNI / THE SPEAKER · IDEAS IN MOTION
Recognition, earned through the work.
A record of personal recognition, the honors earned by the Ingenuity team, and new milestones at AstraQua. The shared achievements reflect the work of many disciplines and many people.
Personal recognition
2025 · Inclusive Excellence Award
University of Louisville, J.B. Speed School of Engineering. Awarded to Loay Elbasyouni. Read the record.
2022 · IEEE Senior Member
IEEE. Professional elevation recorded in February 2022. Read the record.
Ingenuity: a shared achievement
Loay contributed electrical and power-electronics engineering to Ingenuity. The awards below recognize the team, project, or institution named by the awarding body; they are not presented as solo awards.
2021 · Robert J. Collier Trophy
National Aeronautic Association. Recipient: NASA/JPL Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Team. Read the award record.
2022 · Michael Collins Trophy for Current Achievement
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Recipient: Mars Ingenuity Helicopter Team. Read the award record.
2022 · Howard Hughes Award
Vertical Flight Society. Recipient: Mars Helicopter Ingenuity Team. .
2022 · Dr. Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy
National Space Club & Foundation. Recipient: Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Team. Read the award record.
2021 · John L. “Jack” Swigert, Jr. Award for Space Exploration
Space Foundation. Recipient: NASA JPL Mars Ingenuity Helicopter Team. Read the award record.
2021 · Grand Laureate — Space
Aviation Week Network. Recipient: NASA/JPL Mars Ingenuity. Read the award record.
2021 · Space Systems Award
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Recipient: Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Team. Read the award record.
2022 · IEEE Spectrum Emerging Technology Award
IEEE Spectrum. Recipient: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Mars Helicopter. Read the award record.
NASA Group Achievement Award
NASA/JPL’s 2018 Honor Awards record recognizes the Mars Helicopter Team for demonstrating the feasibility of flight in Mars’s thin atmosphere. The University of Louisville confirms Loay’s associated NASA group recognition. University profile · NASA/JPL award record.
AstraQua: research & competition milestones
2026 · Moon to Mars Technology Commercialization Summit pitch competition — second place
AstraQua team member Kosta Varnavas reported second place; NASA Technology Transfer publicly shared the announcement. Read the source.
2025 · NASA SBIR Phase I selection
NASA’s selection archive identifies AstraSense and names Loay Elbasyouni as principal investigator. Read the source.
2026 · NASA SBIR Phase II selection
AstraQua publicly announced selection for NASA SBIR Phase II. Read the source.
2026 · Kentucky SBIR/STTR matching-fund selection
Kentucky’s government announcement names AstraQua among the selected companies. Read the source.
2026 · NASA SBIR Phase II
AstraQua announced a $1,274,990 NASA Phase II SBIR contract on October 15, 2026, to advance AstraSense for electric and hybrid-electric aircraft, including advanced air mobility. The work builds on Phase I demonstrations with motors, inverters and electrical systems and advances aircraft integration, health-informed reasoning, verification and validation. Source: AstraQua company announcement supplied by Loay Elbasyouni. Explore AstraQua.
2026 · Aerospace & Defense Business Visionary
LA Times Studios named Loay Elbasyouni among its 2026 Aerospace & Defense Business Visionaries. Read the published profile.