Kam Ghaffarian has been named the 2026 laureate of the State Award of the Republic of Armenia for Global Contribution to Humanity through High-Tech. He is the founder and co-founder of five companies: IBX, Axiom Space, Intuitive Machines, X-energy and Quantum Space.
The winner was announced at a press conference attended by Viva General Director Armen Avetisian and Synopsys Armenia Director Hovik Musayelyan, who also coordinates the award committee’s executive board and the international selection committee. They said Ghaffarian, who also serves as Executive Chairman of Axiom Space, will visit Armenia in November.
According to the source, Ghaffarian’s commitment to space technology began after he witnessed the historic Apollo 11 Moon landing as a child. In February 2024, Intuitive Machines’ Odysseus spacecraft landed in the Moon’s south polar region, becoming the first American spacecraft to reach the lunar surface since Apollo 17 and the first commercial mission of its kind.
Axiom Space, co-founded by Ghaffarian, is working with NASA on several major projects, including commercial crewed space missions and the development of commercial orbital infrastructure. Scientists see the Moon’s south pole as strategically important because permanently shadowed craters may contain ice deposits, while some areas are well suited for solar energy use.
Armenia’s state award for global contribution to the IT sector was established on July 6, 2009 by presidential decree. It is presented annually to individuals whose achievements in high tech have had significant and transformative impact. The initiative is backed by Synopsys Armenia, while Viva has served as the award’s general partner for 17 years.
