Six students recognized for academic excellence and commitment to advancing American spacepower
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, UNITED STATES, August 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Space Force Association (SFA) today announced the six recipients of its 2026 scholarship awards: three winners of the Guardian Scholarship and three winners of the Future Space Professionals Scholarship. Each recipient will receive a $2,500 award in recognition of their academic achievement and commitment to the future of American spacepower.
The US Space Force Guardian Scholarship, sponsored by the SFA Washington DC and SFA Rocket City chapters, honors the service, commitment, and academic excellence of Guardians and future Guardians. The Future Space Professionals Scholarship supports undergraduate students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields who intend to enter the community of space professionals.
2026 US Space Force Guardian Scholarship Recipients
Aniket Martins is a rising senior and Meinig Scholar, Laidlaw Scholar, and mechanical engineering student at Cornell University, commissioning into the U.S. Space Force through AFROTC. He serves as commander of i5 Space, a student-led space education organization recognized by Space Training and Readiness Command with more than 1,000 members across 65 universities. A Boren Scholar who studied Mandarin in Taiwan, Martins conducts research at Cornell’s Aerospace Adversary Lab on counter-UAS survivability and serves as a Junior Fellow at the Brooks Tech Policy Institute.
Jadon Pinto is an aerospace engineering student at Virginia Tech pursuing an accelerated bachelor’s and master’s degree in the Space Engineering track while serving as a cadet in the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets and Air Force ROTC. Preparing to commission as a developmental engineer in the U.S. Space Force, Pinto has served as a vehicle design engineering intern on the B-21 Raider program at Northrop Grumman and a flight test engineering intern with Boeing Defense, and directs structural design for the Venture launch vehicle in the NASA Student Launch competition.
Tryston Schmitt is an aerospace engineering student at the Georgia Institute of Technology and a future U.S. Space Force officer. A BS/MS honors student, Schmitt has researched low-gravity fluid mechanics and plans to pursue a thesis examining its relevance to orbital servicing and resilient satellite architectures, with the goal of advancing spacepower through technical leadership and service as a developmental engineering officer.
2026 Future Space Professionals Scholarship Recipients
Breanna Drummond is a first-generation college student at Delaware Technical Community College pursuing an associate degree in electromechanical engineering with a 3.7 GPA. She plans to continue her studies in physics with a concentration in electrical engineering in preparation for commissioning as a U.S. Space Force officer. Drummond has gained hands-on research experience through NASA internships and the Delaware Space Grant Consortium, and previously served as commander of her Air Force JROTC unit.
Lauren Coffman is a senior biomedical engineering student at Wichita State University whose academic interests focus on human health performance, human factors, and spaceflight systems that enable humans to work safely in space. A five-time NASA Pathways intern, Coffman aspires to work in the human spaceflight sector after graduation.
William Sinclair is a rising senior electrical engineering major at the University of Notre Dame. He is focused on lowering the cost to orbit through reusable launch vehicles, a goal he began pursuing as a rocket engine intern at Blue Origin, and aspires to help build large-scale infrastructure in space that benefits people on Earth.
“This year’s scholarship recipients represent the depth of talent entering the space enterprise, from Guardians and future officers to the engineers and researchers who will build the systems of tomorrow,” said Dr. MIchael Martindale, Education Committee Chair, Space Force Association. “On behalf of SFA and our chapters, we congratulate all six recipients and look forward to following their contributions to American spacepower.”
The 2026 scholarship cycle drew applicants from across the country who demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, and a commitment to the community of space professionals. Recipients were selected by SFA’s Space Education Committee based on academic performance, professional experience, and application essays.
About Space Force Association
The Space Force Association is the professional organization dedicated to supporting the United States Space Force and advancing the development of U.S. and Allied spacepower through advocacy, education, and collaboration.
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Emily Honhart
Space Force Association
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