4 minute read
Space
Watch this space
A STEM career in the space industry could take you places you have never dreamed
If you can see yourself writing code for satellites, helping to safely launch rockets or interrogating images of the Earth – Australia and New Zealand are the places to be.
The space industry already supports 10,000 Australian and 12,000 New Zealand jobs, with both countries committed to massively growing these numbers. How? Australian and New Zealand governments recently created dedicated space agencies. But unlike NASA, they aren’t trying to send satellites and spaceships into space themselves, they’re supporting others to get there.
The Australian Space Agency is helping fund the University of Melbourne’s ‘SpIRIT’ mission, to launch a small satellite in 2022 hosting an advanced X-ray imaging instrument. They are also assisting Human Aerospace, a startup that is building a spacesuit designed to ease the side effects of low gravity during long space missions. Exploring opportunities
Meanwhile, the New Zealand Space Agency has worked closely with Rocket Lab to establish the world’s first private orbital launch range located on the Mahia Peninsula. Now, over 1700 New Zealand companies assist Rocket Lab in making its frequent commercial satellite launches happen.
“It’s an exciting time for the space sector,” says Australian Space Agency Deputy Head, Anthony Murfett, “The technology is smaller, cheaper and the cost to get to space has come down.” What this means for you is that there is a huge range of different space industry opportunities to explore.
For example, you could become a software engineer and custom design the code needed to launch rockets into space or make satellites function. Or, build software to analyse real-time data from launch vehicles and gather info to help develop the next generation of rockets.
Galactic careers lift off!
Started in 2016 and 2018, the New Zealand Space Agency and Australian Space Agency see a world of new career opportunities if you set your sights sky-high
Anthony Murfett
Deputy Head of the Australian Space Agency
What’s something exciting the Australian Space Agency has been working on?
In 2019, we partnered with NASA on their ambition to go forward to the Moon and on to Mars. The ‘Moon to Mars’ program will help Australian businesses put ideas forward to support NASA, drawing on a range of areas where Australia is a world-leader, like communication technologies, robotics and automation and space medicine.
What tech skills are you looking for?
Skills in science and research cover a huge number of roles, from astrophysicists to meteorologists, astronomers, geologists and medical researchers. While engineers and technicians can design spacecraft, satellites and a variety of components to support space missions.
Do you only need STEM skills?
No – space entrepreneurs are starting up a whole range of businesses in Australia. From textile designers creating spacesuits to support human bone health; to lawyers who work with space businesses on how to manage their activities in space and ensure they comply with the relevant laws and international treaties. Then there are science communicators who can share stories to engage and inspire the public. And historians, writers and teachers are helping to educate the next generation into space.
What are your hopes for the future?
One day we hope that it will be Australian technology you hear or see that supports the exploration of Mars.
Dr Peter Crabtree
Head of the New Zealand Space Agency
What’s something exciting the New Zealand Space Agency has been working on?
We recently partnered with the Environmental Defense Fund on MethaneSat, a cutting-edge climate science mission [expected launch 2022]. The overall goal of the mission is to reduce the amount of atmospheric methane – a potent greenhouse gas – by identifying significant sources, such as from the oil and gas sector. New Zealand is developing the mission operations control centre, and also running a methane atmospheric science programme on the potential for the satellite to detect agricultural emissions.
Is it a good time be in the space industry?
Yes! The space sector in New Zealand is growing at pace, so there will be many job opportunities – from jobs that most organisations need, such as business development and marketing, to STEM-related roles, including all types of engineering, tradespeople, computer scientists and data analysts.
How important will the space sector be to New Zealand’s future generations?
Even though the agency is quite new, the space sector holds a huge amount of promise for New Zealand because it’s a high-skill, high-productivity and high-technology area in which the country is well-positioned to remain at the technological frontier. For every hour worked in the sector it returns more than NZ$100. This gives a sense of its value to New Zealand going forward.
