252: Anna (Hanna Sav) Harutyunyan: Armenia's First Analog Astronaut and Founder of Rocket Space Academy

Anna (Hanna Sav) Harutyunyan, is an Armenian engineer and robotics student who recently made history as Armenia’s first analog astronaut! 

In this episode, she joins host Beth Mund on the Casual Space Podcast to share her experiences in analog space missions, her academic journey, and her upcoming projects.  Anna’s on a mission to inspire people in Armenia, and around the world, to explore space.

As you listen in, you’ll hear how Anna first connected with the analog astronaut community through the Austrian Space Forum, where she supported ground operations before stepping into a mission role. Her journey is one of resilience, from overcoming visa challenges to working in a fully immersive habitat under challenging conditions without sunlight. Anna’s analog mission required her to step into tasks involving high-tech rovers, maintaining equipment, and simulating life on another planet.

Beyond her analog experiences, Anna is pursuing a degree in Robotics and Engineering, which fuels her passion for combining robotics, AI, and quantum computing to push the boundaries of space exploration. She recently announced plans to launch Rocket Space Academy, a training ground for future analog astronauts, focusing on creating accessible training opportunities for aspiring space enthusiasts from Armenia and other underrepresented regions.

About Anna (Hanna Sav) Harutyunyan:
Anna’s journey began in Armenia, where she excelled in engineering and dreamed of participating in space missions. Her dedication led her to become the first Armenian analog astronaut, a trailblazer in combining STEM fields with hands-on analog mission experience. She is currently a robotics student advocating for STEM education and international cooperation in space exploration.

Resources Mentioned:

• Austrian Space Forum – Learn more about analog missions and ground operations.

• Rocket Space Academy (Coming Soon) – An academy dedicated to training future analog astronauts in Armenia.

• Check out Hanna’s photo from Vogue photographer https://www.vogue.com/photovogue/photographers/19692/gallery#4827241

Connect with Hannah:

• LinkedIn: @hannasavme

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