Aoife Murphy

Job: Payload Integration Manager at Telespazio Belgium (currently living in Ireland).

What do you do? I help bring an experiment from an idea to a real activity performed on the International Space Station (ISS), working with anyone who wants to send an experiment to space. I check their design, making sure that it will work on the ISS correctly, I ensure that the right tools or equipment are on board, and the instructions needed are clear and easy for the astronauts to follow. All to make sure that the experiment is a success!

Hobbies: Exploring the outdoors, sea swimming, and reading.

What three words would you use to describe yourself? Adventurous, curious, enthusiastic.

How did you get to where you are now? In transition year in school, I did an engineering course which sparked my interest, and I went on to study mechanical engineering at university. I worked for a few years, but the jobs weren’t quite right for me. I decided that I wanted to follow my dream of working in space and went back to study a MSc in space science and technology.

What is the best thing about what you do? The best thing about my job is that no two days are the same. I get to work with lots of different people, different science experiments, and I am constantly learning new things. In the end, we send the experiments to space, which makes everything even more interesting and exciting!

Is your job hard or dangerous or fun? My job is hard work but a lot of fun! I get to help bring science experiments from an initial idea to a real activity performed on the ISS. It’s very exciting to see the science come to life!

What are the people you work with like? Fantastic! Everyone comes from different cultural and academic backgrounds but there’s a great sense of community. There is a lot of experience within the team, and it’s great to work with people who are happy to answer any questions and help whenever they can.

If you were going to space, what is the one personal/luxury item you would bring? A great question! I am a lover of tea and I’m not sure I could go long without my favourite brand. So, I think I would bring some Barry’s Tea with me. Although I’m not sure the cuppa would turn out quite as nice in space!

Catie Allen

Job: Space Solutions Engineer at Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.

What do you do? I work with lots of different people to come up with ideas for things we need to do in space then decide how we’re going to do it. I make sure our plan does what we want it to do, then I give it to another engineer to bring it to life.

Hobbies: Gardening, learning new languages, and volunteering on an ambulance.

What three words would you use to describe yourself? Thoughtful, inquisitive and hard-working.

How did you get to where you are now? By trying lots of new things and never turning down a great opportunity.

What inspired you to choose your job? I have always loved space and I also find new technology really interesting and exciting! So, I managed to find a job that lets me work with cool and upcoming technology for use in space!

What is the best thing about what you do? I get to see some cool and exciting ideas. I feel positive about the future and what amazing things are out there.

What are the people you work with like? I get to work with lots of amazing and intelligent people where I learn new and cool things every day. Everyone I work with is so friendly and full of great ideas. We all help each other and try to learn from each other.

If you were going to space, what is the one personal/luxury item you would bring? I’m fairly sure this is cheating, but I’d bring my cats! I couldn’t pick one though!

Jennifer Barry

Job: Payload Systems Lead, UK Space Agency.

What do you do? Systems engineering is all about making sure engineers are working as team. We make sure that the satellites we’re working on aren’t too heavy, make sure that different parts can talk to each other, and prepare designs to be tested and built. I work in space sustainability, which is all about clearing up space junk.

For a long time, humans launched things into space and then left them there, which means there’s lots of spacecraft that no longer work floating around, which can be dangerous for new missions. I also help the government decide what rules we need to put in place to make sure space stays safe for the future.

Hobbies: Hiking with my dog, reading, board games, travelling.

What three words would you use to describe yourself? Independent, motivated, adaptable.

What inspired you to choose your job? I love space and I wanted to do a job where I could work more hands-on in getting spacecraft ready and launched. Systems engineering allows me to keep looking at the big picture while keeping a technical hat on!

What is the best thing about what you do? I get to work with people all over the UK who are working in space – it’s great to see all the different ways we contribute to promoting science understanding and keeping space safe.

Is your job hard or dangerous or fun? It can be quite hard as there’s lots to understand and I work on lots of projects at once, but usually it’s interesting!

What are the people you work with like? Everyone is so different so it’s impossible to give just one answer!

If you were going to space, what is the one personal/luxury item you would bring? Maybe a Kindle or big pile of books so I can read during the downtime!