Introducing Mehak Sarang, Open Lunar’s new Director of Industry Integration

Open Lunar Foundation is excited to welcome Mehak Sarang to the core team. Read a welcome note from Mehak and learn more about her background and position.

“ It is undeniable that 2025 marks a true turning point, with multiple private and state-led lunar orbiters and landers—many embarking on their maiden missions. As we look toward the future, sustaining this momentum through collaboration, and ensuring the Moon remains a peaceful, accessible, and sustainably managed domain for all of humanity will be more important than ever.”

I’m thrilled to join the Open Lunar Foundation as the Director of Industry Integration. Since first engaging with Open Lunar in 2019, the organization and its’ fellows and affiliates have profoundly shaped my thinking on the future of lunar exploration and governance. I’m excited to return in this full-time capacity at such a critical moment for lunar exploration.

Early in my career, I held joint research positions at Harvard Business School and MIT Media Lab’s Space Exploration Initiative (SEI), researching space economics and technology roadmapping, with a focus on lunar exploration. As SEI’s Lunar Exploration Projects Lead, I collaborated with Open Lunar on the Lunar Open Architecture – a shared roadmap for lunar missions and technologies – and the Moon Dialogs. That experience served as a catalyst for my transition into industry, propelled by the growing momentum among private-sector players, particularly the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) providers in the U.S.

First at Masten Space Systems and later at ispace-US as Payloads Manager, I worked closely with NASA payloads to facilitate integration onto commercial lunar landers. These past four years in industry have been incredibly illuminating—I’ve gained first hand insight into the commercial market, working on NASA contracts, and engaging with a global ecosystem of companies shaping the lunar economy. It is undeniable that 2025 marks a true turning point, with multiple private and state-led lunar orbiters and landers—many embarking on their maiden missions. As we look toward the future, sustaining this momentum through collaboration, and ensuring the Moon remains a peaceful, accessible, and sustainably managed domain for all of humanity will be more important than ever.

Open Lunar provides leadership in developing thoughtful models for cooperative, sustainable lunar development, backed by a strong portfolio of projects and extensive network of resources, including leading voices in our industry. In my role, I will propel Open Lunar’s projects toward development, commercialization, strategic partnerships, and lasting impact, leveraging my extensive experience in policy, industry, and government. In 2025, I'll be working closely with the Lunar Registry project, which will serve as a central reference point for mission data, safety contacts, and more. I’ll help launch the project, onboard our first group of users, and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure it meets their needs. 

I’m excited to deepen my engagement with Open Lunar at this pivotal time. If you're passionate about these topics and want to collaborate, I’d love to hear from you.

Per aspera, ad luna. 🚀🌙