Our co-founders

Herve Astier joined Neumann Space in 2019 after a successful 20-year international career working in global project management, product development, business development and marketing for advanced US technology companies. He then spent several years in Government helping early-stage start-ups to access initial funding and pursue commercialisation.

Since joining Neumann Space, Herve has worked to elevate the business from low TRL experimentation in a garage to a highly respected company boasting an exceptional team which has developed a unique technology that is now space-ready.

Herve holds a Master of Science in Industrial Engineering and an Executive MBA (international Business). He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, the Defence Industry Leadership Program, the Harvard Business School Launching New Ventures program and the International Space University Executive Space Course.

Dr Patrick “Paddy” Neumann is an internationally-recognised expert in plasma physics and propulsion. Paddy founded Neumann Space in 2015 to develop and commercialise his research in pulsed cathodic arc spacecraft propulsion systems at the University of Sydney.

Paddy holds Bachelor’s degrees in Science (Physics Major) and Engineering (with Honours in Aerospace Engineering), a Master’s degree in Science and is a Doctor of Philosophy. He is also an active senior member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and a member of the AIAA Electric Propulsion Technical Committee.

In 2020, Paddy received the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics coveted Lawrence Sperry Award “for continued development of miniature electric spacecraft propulsion systems and ceaseless advocacy for the development of Australian space capabilities”. In 2022, Paddy was named Australian Scientist of the Year at the Australian Space Awards.

Andy Warr joined the team as an engineer in 2020 and was rapidly promoted to lead all of the engineering projects at Neumann Space.

Andy holds a Bachelor of Engineering from the University of Cardiff and spent 30 years working in competitive sports engineering departments worldwide (mostly motor racing and cycling), driving teams to achieve world championship-level results with innovative technologies in very fast-paced environments with unmovable deadlines! Andy has a unique ability to stay calm under pressure, build the best team and get the best results.

If you tell Andy to make it fly, he will!

Steven joined the Neumann Space team in 2022 to continue pursuing his passion for space systems. Steven’s love of space stemmed from his university days where he was a founding member of the Melbourne Space Program and a core contributor to the ACRUX-1 CubeSat mission.

Since then, he has become a true Defence and Space professional, working across both government and private industry. Steven gained experience within the Australian Department of Defence supporting a range of high-profile acquisition and sustainment projects, before moving into the space industry full time with SITAEL Australia, and now finding his home with Neumann Space as Chief Engineer.

Steven holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Engineering from the University of Melbourne and is an alumni of the International Space University’s Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program.