Nigel Drenthe first-time winner Heinz Stoewer Space award

On 6 March 2018, Nigel Drenthe was announced as the first-time winner of the Heinz Stoewer Space Award for his thesis work, titled “SOLSTICE, Small Orbital Launch Vehicles, a Tentative Initial Cost Estimate”. According to Professor Ricky Curran, Drenthe’s thesis drew attention due to its current relevance and multidisciplinary character. Drenthe: “For my thesis, I chose a subject in which I am extremely interested personally. Also I believe this topic is very important and relevant. I am very happy and extremely honored that this view is supported by Professor Heinz Stoewer, such an important person in the space sector.”

The award was presented to Nigel Drenthe at the annual symposium of the VSV ‘Leonardo da Vinci’, themed ‘Rescaling limits, exploring spacecraft sizing’. The theme is closely linked to Drenthe’s thesis, in which he focuses on improving the economics of a new class of launch vehicles. Drenthe: “Focusing on the cost estimation is the first step for companies to be able to go into space.”

The Heinz Stoewer Space award is an initiative by Emeritus Professor Space Systems Engineering at the Aerospace Faculty, Professor Heinz Stoewer. Earlier this year Professor Stoewer was awarded the highly prestigious IEEE Simon Ramo Medal 2018 for his pioneering accomplishments in and technical leadership of space systems engineering, and for profound influence on teaching and practice of systems engineering. He decided to donate the prize money to exceptional students from the aerospace faculty. Stoewer: “It is important to encourage high quality of Master students and I am very happy to be able to give out this award to exceptional students like Nigel”.

Full Professors at the faculty are invited to nominate young graduates and MSc students for the prize. The faculty Prize Committee checks the quality of the work and its societal relevance. Supervisor Ricky Curran: “What a great accomplishment for Nigel that he has become the winner”.

Next year the faculty expects to assign the second Heinz Stoewer Space Award, also to be presented at the VSV symposium. Full Professors will be able to hand in their nominations from January 2019.