Professor, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Japan Aerospace Propulsion (2024-)
Hiroaki Kobayashi received his Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics in 2001 from the University of Tokyo, where he conducted research on the ATREX engine. He then joined the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and engaged in research on the air-breathing propulsion and
cryogenic propellant system. In 2017 he moved to the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), where since 2022 he has been a professor in Department of Space Flight Systems. He served as General Affairs Director of the Japanese Rocket Society (JRS) since 2019 and Director of the Noshiro Rocket Testing Center since 2022.