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
