Angel Abbud-Madrid named The Angel Family Foundation Chair in Space Resources

Angel Abbud-Madrid, professor of practice and director of the Space Resources Program, has been named The Angel Family Foundation Chair for Space Resources at Colorado School of Mines, the inaugural faculty member to hold the position. 

Abbud-Madrid's appointment is part of a $5 million investment from The Angel Family Foundation to further strengthening Mines’ leadership at the forefront of space exploration, planetary science and space resource utilization. In addition to establishing the chair, the gift will also enable the hiring of a new professor of practice in planetary science and a research professor in space resources, as well as provide financial support for master’s and PhD students and enhance the program’s research facilities, course offerings, research initiatives and student capacity.  

"It is a true honor to be named the first endowed chair in space resources thanks to The Angel Family Foundation's generous gift,” Abbud-Madrid said. “At the same time, it is a great responsibility to head the Space Resources Program in the years ahead while fulfilling the vision and wishes of the Angel Family, which is to secure Mines’ position as the leader in this rapidly developing field.” 

Abbud-Madrid's appointment as The Angel Family Foundation Chair follows almost a decade of leadership of the Space Resources Program since its inception in 2017. Mines has been highly involved in the field of space resources for more than 25 years, a natural extension of the university's longtime leadership in terrestrial resources.   

The first of its kind anywhere in the world, the Space Resources graduate program continues to be offered mostly online, opening up opportunities for interested students not just in Colorado but across the globe. 

“We have had scientists, engineers, economists, policymakers and entrepreneurs from five continents and 26 different countries. This shows the very multidisciplinary nature of this field,” he said. “Although on campus we support the PhD component, we want to continue growing the program online because the demand is coming from all around the world.”  

Abbud-Madrid has more than 35 years of experience conducting experiments in NASA’s low-gravity facilities and developing payloads for space missions, and in 2004 received the NASA Astronauts’ Personal Achievement Award for his contributions to the success of human space flight. He serves as president of the Space Resources Roundtable, an international organization that brings people together to discuss all aspects of space, lunar, asteroidal and planetary resources, and as editor-in-chief of the Springer journal Space and Planetary Resources, the first one in this field. 

At Mines, Abbud-Madrid serves as director of the Space Resources Program, director of the Center for Space Resources and as Colorado School of Mines Affiliate Director of the Colorado Space Grant Consortium. He is also faculty adviser of the Mines student chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Astronomy Club and Rocket Club.  

“We are looking to keep growing the Space Resources Program and searching for new areas that are of importance to contribute to the field. On the research side, we will continue making the right connections with space agencies, the private sector and with other universities, getting involved with more research studies and projects and providing the best facilities to accurately simulate space, lunar and planetary environments,” Abbud-Madrid said. “We will also strive to continue growing the number of students and course offerings in the program, while keeping up with the many new and diverse topics in the field of space resources.” 

The Angel Family Foundation’s connection to Mines is deeply personal. Mason Angel, currently a graduate student in the Space Resources program, has seen firsthand both the program’s impact and its potential for growth. He also works at Industrious Ventures, supporting innovation across aerospace, national security, energy, computing, manufacturing and agriculture. His experience at Mines and his perspective on the need to grow the program inspired the family’s investment.