
Our Work
At Starborn Academy, we’re redefining how students experience STEM education. Through immersive Virtual Reality, hands-on astronaut training experiences, and real-world space missions, our programs empower youth to explore science, technology, and engineering in ways that are deeply engaging, emotionally meaningful, and directly tied to future careers. Students don’t just learn about space—they step into it.
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Our flagship program, the Moon Mission: Letter to the Moon, gives students the opportunity to code a personal time capsule launched to the lunar surface as part of upcoming lunar missions. From building rockets and rovers in VR to stepping inside real pressurized spacesuits, every experience is designed to ignite curiosity, build confidence, and inspire the next generation of space explorers, engineers, and changemakers.
Meet The Team

Josh Hanes
President & CEO

Eric Willeitner
Secretary & Director of Engineering

Jeffrey Johnson
Treasurer & Director of Operations

Ruben Salinas
Commercial Astronaut Candidate

Emily Higgins
Director of Education

Kerri Hanes
Program Operations Lead

Dr. José Hernández
Advisor: Retired NASA Astronaut

Matt Sharpe
Senior Manager, AI & VR Development

Dr. Sian Proctor
SpaceX Inspiration4 Astronaut & Artist

Dr. Mason Robbins
Head of Astronaut Training

Nicole Stott
Advisor: Retired NASA Astronaut

Peter West
AI Consultant
Our Collaborators








