Nadine Duursma

Nadine Duursma is a space engineer with a background in Robotics and Space Engineering from TU Delft. Her work focuses on robotics, artificial intelligence, and autonomous systems for space applications. In recent years, she has gained experience in various international projects, ranging from CubeSats and autonomous tracking systems in the Arctic Circle at Andøya Space to research on the Lunar Gateway during the Space Studies Program in Houston. She was also part of the TU Delft Solar Team, with which the solar car Nuna drove 3,000 kilometers through the Australian outback.

Nadine has studied and worked in several international environments, including Princeton University. At the European Space Agency’s Φ‑Lab, she developed AI applications for Earth observation within the Tip‑and‑Cue strategy, aimed at improving response time and image quality with fewer satellites. She also served as commander of the ESA SOLIS100 mission, for which she was selected from more than 3,000 candidates to participate in an analogue mission with a six‑person crew at the European Astronaut Centre’s EnviHab, studying the effects of long‑duration space missions. Alongside her technical work, Nadine is committed to communicating about space.

She wrote the children’s book Met Mama naar Mars and is co‑host of the BNR Space Cowboys podcast. Through this work, she aims to make space more accessible to a broader audience. In 2025, she became the first Dutch recipient of the Emerging Space Leader award from the International Astronautical Federation.

Within the NVR board, Nadine aims to help make the NVR and the field of spaceflight more accessible to children and young people, and to strengthen the connection between the sector, education, and a new generation of enthusiasts.