Paving pathways to NewSpace

By Keira Chrystal

I continue to hear that the Australian space industry is poised to become an integral contributor to both the private space race and NASA's Artemis Missions. Our industry is relatively recent, ripe for technological innovation, yet there is a generational disconnect and insularity that has yet to be properly overcome.

Born of defence and technology, the space industry in Australia comes across as conservative and 'old-school' to young professionals and academics who are otherwise keen to be somehow involved. It seems a general consensus among young people that breaking into the industry is difficult and intimidating. I have only just begun to set foot into this inspiring and active arena, and can attest to the challenge of feeling confident in the face of a rapidly growing industry.

Borrowing from our 'can-do', flexible, and adaptive attitude with technology, the Australian space industry is in prime position to shape its professional culture anew. However, identifying where the connection between Old and New Space attitudes is severed proves challenging and multifaceted – especially as Australians seem to be in agreeance over bridging the gap.

To investigate where the problem may lie, I spoke to young professionals and academics in the Australian Space ecosystem, for their opinions on where Australian space is falling short. Notably, our institutions overwhelmingly lack meaningful and clear pathways into the Australian space industry, and students are often at a loss with how to approach the field.

Rebecca Ryan-Brown is a Macquarie University student with ties to the space industry only through the university’s student space team, Macquarie Orbital. She is studying a Bachelor of Arts and Law, and takes special interest in the rapidly growing field of law in space. In the future, Rebecca hopes to pursue law on an international front, concerned with human rights and space development.

She values the pathway provided to her through Macquarie Orbital, and recognises that ‘it can surprise young people that Australia has a spot in the global space ecosystem at all.’

Painting the space industry as a valid and accessible professional pathway is imperative to the involvement of younger generations, especially outside of STEM disciplines. ‘We need everybody if we want to take humanity to space,’ she says. This is a sentiment I often hear reflected and supported by our space community, but little of within institutions.

Despite challenges, Rebecca notes that all her contributions to the space industry have been encouraged and accepted at every step, even as a fresh face. The positive reception she has received has encouraged her to pursue space law as a potential career path, rather than a casual interest once seemingly incompatible with her degree.

Combating preconceptions of Australia in space is Kaylee Li of the well-known student team, USYD Rocketry. She is a passionate aerospace engineer in the making, recalling that she was ‘very inspired’ by several women in the field when she was still in school. Kaylee now aspires to take part in our Moon to Mars Mission.

‘Fear is the most prevalent mindset in young people when approaching the space industry,’ she says, and I too have observed this in my peers. She notes that often students feel incapable, but believes this can be resolved with supportive learning, and involving passionate space professionals on social platforms that students are using today. Her enthusiasm has translated to her extensive school outreach in an effort to inspire the next generation.

Outreach programmes for children and teenagers interested in aerospace are increasing, but still lacking – especially when we are holding ourselves to the expectation of soon occupying a pivotal place in the future of space exploration and industry.

Master of Research student, Annabelle Jones, of University of Technology Sydney, is researching the impact of microgravity on oestrogen production. She is interested in how women’s physiology will adapt to space travel.

Offering the perspective of an academic, Annabelle feels strongly on an issue with funding allocation, and the inaccessibility of funding for researchers like herself. She points to a rich history between higher education and the Old Space Race in the United States, which ultimately took us to the Moon. Currently, the extent of support for innovation like this is no longer in place.

While her university was a founding member of the New South Wales Space Research Network, she has not been able to access or make use of this government support, nor does her university offer any space-based courses.

‘We cannot expect talent to be there when they have not been educated, trained, or even made aware of pathways into the space industry, especially when severely lacking funding at the ground level.’

She believes institutions need to be pressured about their use of funding and kept accountable for it. Unfortunately, Annabelle feels discouraged from speaking on this issue despite her passion about it, due to the formative state of our industry.

I asked Annabelle how current industry leaders could open up the industry to people like her, and improve accessibility. She hopes to see more international internships where Australians are given the opportunity to experience established and highly innovative space ecosystems. Airbus Defence and Space has made an incredible step toward mobilising Australian university students into the space industry here and internationally, with their United Kingdom space internship for graduates in 2023. A clear pathway such as this demonstrates the possibility, accessibility, and opportunity of our space industry that should be in place for all of our youth.

Vice President of the National Space Society of Australia, Gregory Hunter, wonders if the disconnect could be located in academic institutions rather than industry.

‘Old Space members that we had to work with are now working with us (New Space members) – but maybe this turnaround hasn’t happened in academia in the same way.’ He suggests that universities may not be structured to effectively engage with the industry, especially not the way they used to.

Across many STEM disciplines and industries, I have observed similar professional culture, and pressure on academics to research for the sake of corporate entities. There is question around how much this may be stifling innovation, as a number of scientists seem to be turning to the start-up scene in order to continue their research pursuits. The Australian space start-up scene is certainly taking off with monumental support from government, industry, and other investors.

Identifying these attitudes in young professionals and New Space members facilitates greater understanding and allows the industry to become more cohesive. How do we ensure effective collaboration between New and Old Space in Australia? What do we want our industry to look like in the future?

Imbuing our industry with a new working culture is to the benefit of all of us. While the template for Old Space has proven effective in many ways in the past, we are able to now build upon this and improve the professional framework.

I have already seen the building blocks of a superior, welcoming professional environment; a recent panel evening introduced me to Jill Seubert, deep space navigator and founder of Australis Space Navigation. She remarked feeling respected in her role here, and was met with applause from Old Space and New Space members alike. This is the mentality we must persevere with as we continue to construct our ideal, multifaceted, functional framework to Australian space. With a united front, we can be more effective in establishing ourselves on the global stage in this New Space age.