Above: PISCES staff members Amber Imai-Hong and Ashley Truchan talk with visitors at the Hawaiʻi aerospace booth during the 40th Space Symposium on Apr. 8.
We joined more than 12,000 people from around the world at the Space Foundation’s 40th annual Space Symposium in Colorado Springs from April 7–10, 2025, to promote Hawai‘i’s aerospace industry and seek out new partnerships and opportunities.
At the Hawaiʻi aerospace booth, our team members Ashley Truchan and Amber Imai-Hong shared the latest progress of PISCES’ research projects and promoted programs at UH Hilo’s College of Natural and Health Sciences (CNHS). They met with aerospace companies to discuss products for a planned makerspace at UH Hilo and the idea of starting an aerospace track in the Pre-Engineering Program at CNHS. Ashley and Amber also talked with members of various STEM organizations to exchange ideas and collaborate on STEM education initiatives in Hawai‘i.
Our research director, Christian Andersen, met with partners at Astrobotic to discuss updates and technical details of our shared NASA project to develop automated manufacturing technology for the Moon.
The 40th Space Symposium underscored global momentum in space exploration and gave us the opportunity to explore new partnerships while strengthening the impact of STEM outreach. Our efforts during the event aimed to help position Hawai‘i as a hub for space science and technology while connecting our local community with the global aerospace industry.