The Planetary Society Announces Winner of Celestial Escape to Mauna Kea Sweepstakes

Pasadena, CA (June 12, 2026) — The Planetary Society today announced Freya Sato of Duluth, Georgia, as the winner of its Celestial Escape to Mauna Kea Sweepstakes, a fundraising campaign that drew 11,788 entries and raised $542,800 for the organization's mission to advance space science and exploration.

Sato, a self-described space enthusiast whose love of space began with Carl Sagan's Cosmos series, will receive a five-night luxury stay for two at The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, a Hawaii Forest & Trail Mauna Kea Summit & Stars experience, private behind-the-scenes access to the Keck telescopes, a $2,500 travel stipend, and a private Zoom Q&A with Planetary Society Chief Ambassador Bill Nye.

"I have spent my whole life in light-polluted areas, and have never had any luck going stargazing, so I am really looking forward to the stargazing on top of Mauna Kea," said Sato. "I have never been to Hawaii either, so I am really looking forward to the whole trip!"

The sweepstakes was made possible through the generous partnership of TapKat, Mauna Kea Resort, The Westin Hapuna Beach Resort, Keck Observatory, and Hawaii Forest & Trail, whose support brought this unique experience to life.

"Every single entry in this sweepstakes was a vote for the power of space exploration," said Bill Nye, Chief Ambassador of The Planetary Society. "Thanks to this remarkable community of supporters, we can keep working to inspire a worldwide community and advance the scientific exploration of space."