Video

So you want to work in space?

Space entrepreneur Mark Rocket says that the aerospace industry needs the full spectrum of people joining it. But what does it take to work in the sector? Watch as a few experts describe the dispositions that can help make space jobs happen.

And remember the words of David Perenara-O’Connell: “Be innovative, think outside the square, because careers that we think of today are not going to be the careers of tomorrow.”

Statements for discussion:

  • If you look at what most astronauts did – they are not often engineers – they’re medical doctors, they are geologists, they’re biologists. You can come from literally any background to get involved in the space or aerospace industry.

  • We need diversity because diverse teams solve problems quicker, better, more effectively.

  • We need Māori rangatahi to be present to develop things that are important to us as Māori.

  • We also need people who are great communicators.

  • We’re trying to solve problems that are incredibly complex. All of the easy ones have already been done quite some time ago.

  • If your teachers aren’t providing you with the knowledge that you are passionate about and that you want to learn, you have to reach out and find that knowledge yourself.

Transcript

Stefan Powell

Chief Executive Officer, Chief Technical Officer, Co-founder, Dawn Aerospace

Space industry is something that’s going to keep growing. You know, this is not a fad – the main thing that slows us down is getting great people.

Dr Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher

Principal Scientist (Carbon, Chemistry and Climate), NIWA Science Leader, MethaneSAT

The questions and the problems that we have to tackle to create the more sustainable future we want are so much bigger than the number of people working in the area.

Mark Rocket

Chief Executive Officer, Kea Aerospace Founder and President, Aerospace Christchurch

The aerospace industry is creating high-value jobs. We need the full spectrum of people coming in to the aerospace industry.

Dr Philipp Sueltrop

Chief Technical Officer, Kea Aerospace

You can have so many careers in aerospace. I mean, if you look at what most astronauts did – they are not often engineers – they’re medical doctors, they are geologists, they’re biologists. You can come from literally any background to get involved in the space or aerospace industry.

Dr Sarah Kessans

Senior Lecturer, School of Product Design, Faculty of Engineering, University of Canterbury

We need a real diversity of different people coming through the school system.

Jennifer Blackburne

Mechanical Engineer (Propulsion), Dawn Aerospace

There are a lot more women coming in to the industry and choosing engineering as a career, and this is great.

Stefan Powell

It’s also not just gender diversity, it’s also age diversity, it’s cultural backgrounds, it’s even educational backgrounds. We need diversity because diverse teams solve problems quicker, better, more effectively.

Dr Pauline Harris

Astrophysicist, cosmologist, kairangahau Māori Senior Lecturer, Te Kawa a Māui – School of Māori Studies, Victoria University of Wellington Chairperson, Society of Māori Astronomy Research and Traditions

It’s really important that Māori rangatahi are given the opportunity to grow in the space industry. We’re already seeing the knowledge that we have in mātauranga Māori providing a really unique insight in our technological development in space. We need Māori rangatahi to be present to develop things that are important to us as Māori.

Professor David Noone

Buckley-Glavish Professor of Climate Physics, Department of Physics, University of Auckland

The space industry is really broad, so we need people who are technically oriented. That’s absolutely true, but it’s also not the whole story. The space industry involves people thinking about the ethics of space, utilisation of space, the type of information we may want to get from space.

Dr Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher

We also need people who are great communicators.

Stefan Powell

Engineering in space especially is a very collaborative environment. We need people that are good at working with other people.

Juliet McLachlan

Software Engineer (Flight Operations), Dawn Aerospace

We need creative thinkers. We need people who are not afraid to be persistent – very persistent.

Dr Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher

You need to be a person who likes to ask a question, who likes to run down an answer. What it takes more than anything else is curiosity.

Mark Rocket

You’ve got that burning desire to do something and do the best you can, then that fire in your belly that keeps you going. The key to it is doing something that excites you.

Dr Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher

Science requires a lot of passion and a lot of tenacity. We’re trying to solve problems that are incredibly complex. All of the easy ones have already been done quite some time ago.

Jennifer Blackburne

Resilience is really important. When you’re doing research and development, you do fail quite a lot.

Dr Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher

The key is to go into something that you have a real genuine heartfelt passion for, because when those hard times come, you’re going to have that to draw on.

Dr Philipp Sueltrop

If you’re finishing high school and you want to get into aerospace or space, the most important thing is to be motivated and get actively involved. You can come to the aerospace meet-ups, you can talk to people and there’s so many people that will lead you in the right direction.

Dr Pauline Harris

If your teachers aren’t providing you with the knowledge that you are passionate about and that you want to learn, you have to reach out and find that knowledge yourself.

Jennifer Blackburne

Anyone can be part of this industry. It’s not some elite club. If you’re keen, if you’re enthusiastic, it’s a great industry to be a part of.

Juliet McLachlan

The space industry is anything you want to make it and it can be for anyone. Jobs are being created every single day.

David Perenara-O’Connell

Māngai, Tāwhaki Joint Venture

One of the key things is dream. Actually see yourself in the space that you want to create for your future, for our community and our people. Be innovative, think outside the square, because careers that we think of today are not going to be the careers of tomorrow.

Acknowledgements Stefan Powell, Dawn Aerospace Dr Sara Mikaloff-Fletcher, NIWA Mark Rocket, Kea Aerospace Dr Philipp Sueltrop, Kea Aerospace Dr Sarah Kessans, University of Canterbury Jennifer Blackburne, Dawn Aerospace Dr Pauline Harris, Victoria University of Wellington and SMART Professor David Noone, University of Auckland Juliet McLachlan, Dawn Aerospace David Perenara-O’Connell, Tāwhaki Joint Venture Dr Philipp Sueltrop at computer, ChristchurchNZ Exterior International Space Station, astronaut Alex Gerst using a pipette, astronaut Christina Koch working on plant experiments onboard the International Space Station and astronauts conducting a vision test, NASA, CC BY 3.0 Dr Sarah Kessans in plant lab, University of Canterbury Women in Space Aotearoa New Zealand Scientists at Callaghan Innovation, engineer and students at computer and working on CubeSats at University of Auckland, Victoria University of Wellington engineer at work and University of Canterbury Rocket Club students, MBIE Dr Pauline Harris at telescope and working with research assistant, Project Mātauranga, Scottie Productions Ātea a Rangi star compass, students on waka and tamariki running in Waitangi Regional Park, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Image of Haritina Mogoșanu, science communicator and Executive Director of the New Zealand Astrobiology Network, Virgiliu Pop, Romanian Space Agency Launch of Rocket Lab Atea-1 technology demonstration in 2009 and still of early team with Mark Rocket, Rocket Lab Scientists in van and aeroplane collecting data, Permian Basin methane mapping project with Scientific Aviation and the University of Wyoming, courtesy of MethaneSAT and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Aerospace Christchurch Kea Aerospace Mana Vautier and colleague at NASA, courtesy of Mana Vautier and Callaghan Innovation

Rights: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato
Published:25 July 2022