Alex Rhodes
Job: Space Systems/Radio Engineer at Viasat and Inmarsat.
What do you do? I design radio systems (like in a phone) that use satellites to help people stay connected from anywhere in the world – from in a plane, to being in a boat in the middle of the ocean!
Hobbies: Triathlon, surfing, yoga, guitar, and spending time with my dogs!
How did you get to where you are now? I always had a passion for engineering. I used to take lawnmowers, phones and other things apart. After university I became passionate about space and never looked back, having a lot of fun building some cool projects!
What inspired you to choose your job? I work on satellite communications systems, and the opportunity to provide connectivity to everyone around the world is a privilege and something I hope to see in my lifetime!
What is the best thing about what you do? Every day there’s an exciting new problem to solve, and it’s always very challenging. One day it could be that a mobile phone doesn’t work with a satellite, the next it could be designing antennas!
Is your job hard or dangerous or fun? My job is hard, but in a good way, it’s never boring. It’s also very fun building things and doing research!
What are the people you work with like? I’m lucky as all the people at my company are friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. People aren’t afraid to say “I don’t know”, which creates a very supportive workplace.
If you were going to space, what is the one personal/luxury item you would bring? I would bring my guitar and insist on playing Bowie’s Space Oddity while floating around (in the most peculiar way).
Eilidh Johnston
Job: Optical-Mechanical Engineer at Spire Global.
What do you do? I work on different light-based systems which go into space on little satellites called CubeSats. Mostly working on getting one satellite to shine a special kind of light (a laser) to another. This means we can send messages very fast between them. It’s like space texting with light!
Hobbies: Softball, woodworking, badminton.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Hardworking, competitive, creative.
How did you get to where you are now? I had an amazing physics teacher at school who helped me realise that physics is what you make it, and how much fun it can be! I went on to study physics at university and felt like a kid in a candy shop with all the possible jobs and areas that you could explore. When I see opportunities that seem exciting and interesting, I always say yes even if it seems like there is only a small chance of getting it!
What is the best thing about what you do? Sending things into space! I could never have dreamt growing up that I would actually be sending things that I have worked on into space. It still seems like a dream!
Is your job hard or dangerous or fun? My job can be very tricky at times. The technology I work with is sensitive even to small changes, and space is a harsh environment so making the two go together can be hard and takes patience. Lasers can often be dangerous, so they need to be handled with care and at times safety goggles need to be worn to protect your eyes! Even though the job can be hard, it is super-fun and exciting to work as a team to overcome challenges together, sometimes we watch rocket launches together which is amazing to see your hard work released into space!
What are the people you work with like? The people that I work with come from all over the world with many different cultures. Everyone here likes a challenge and realise the importance of working well together as a team. There are lots of talented people who are willing to share their knowledge with each other.
If you were going to space, what is the one personal/luxury item you would bring? I think I would bring a photo of my family with me; they are extremely supportive. Of course, the photo would have to include my cat, Malaysia!
Josh Gribben
Job: Analogue Astronaut and PhD Researcher at the University of Strathclyde.
What do you do? I look for ways to make space more useful for people on Earth and help future astronauts on the moon and Mars talk to people back home.
Hobbies: Playing video games and hiking in nature.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Enthusiastic, relaxed and determined.
How did you get to where you are now? I went back to education to follow my dream of working in space. First, I went to college to study physics and maths before continuing into an aircraft engineering course. I then studied aerospace systems at the University of Glasgow. Since no one in my family had been to university before everything about it was new! Finally, I started my PhD at the University of Strathclyde and took part in an analogue astronaut mission as part of my PhD.
What is the best thing about what you do? I love all the exciting opportunities to help humans explore and use space. When I did my analogue astronaut mission, I got to work together with people from all over the world to explore the kinds of problems faced by real astronauts in space and how we can try to solve them, it was an incredible experience!
Is your job hard or dangerous or fun? It has never been dangerous, but it can be hard and is often fun. Doing research is very difficult because I’m exploring things that no one has ever tried before which means there is no one to learn from, but it is very rewarding to get results from my hard work!
What are the people you work with like? Inspiring. Our team is trying to address global challenges using space technology, and they are all very passionate about their work. I also get to meet and work with researchers from all over the world which is great for hearing different opinions and outlooks on research problems.
If you were going to space, what is the one personal/luxury item you would bring? During my analogue astronaut mission, I had to stay in a small space with my crew for two weeks. I learned that the most important thing on a space mission is to find time to relax and take time for yourself! So, I would bring my PlayStation to play my favourite games when I could.
Dr Kerem Osman Çubuk
Job: Science Communicator and Dome Show Producer at Armagh Observatory and Planetarium.
Hobbies: Nature photography, videogames, and making educational videos.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Curious, patient, sharing.
How did you get to where you are now? I’ve always loved to share what I have learned. I started to study astronomy in 2007, and since then I have been volunteering by going to schools and giving talks, organising stargazing nights. I also loved doing research. I moved to Northern Ireland in 2018 to do a PhD in astrophysics, and I started my current job as soon as I completed my PhD.
What inspired you to choose your job? I did not know anything about space until I was 15. I read a piece of information in a science magazine that changed my life. The Sun was a star and the stars in the night sky looked like points of light because of their distances! This made me realise we are so tiny in the Universe and so many things are waiting to be discovered! So, I became an astronomer and now I share everything I learned to create the same effect the science magazine had on me for others.
What is the best thing about what you do? The best thing about my job is it does not feel like I am working. I am doing what I love, and I am getting paid for this, it’s crazy! Also, I love researching, learning new things, and sharing what I learned. So, this is the best place for me.
What are the people you work with like? We have a small team here, but we have all sorts of people! From very energetic and funny to very calm and quiet. I think it is good to have diversity in the team. We all come from different backgrounds and are learning from each other.
If you were going to space, what is the one personal/luxury item you would bring? My little memory box.
Maeve Doyle
Job: Satellite Fleet Operations Engineer at Eutelsat Group.
What do you do? I work for a company that uses space satellites to send and receive information, to help people from all over the world connect with each other. Sometimes the satellites need my help. I work on the ground and talk to, or send commands to, the satellite using radios. I’m called a Fleet Operations Engineer because I look after hundreds of satellites, a whole fleet of them on orbit around Earth.
Hobbies: Running, hiking and reading.
How did you get to where you are now? After secondary school, I studied physics with astrophysics at university. I loved this course and so carried in studying, first as part of a master’s degree and then as part of a doctorate, also known as a PhD – so technically I’m Dr Doyle! The best thing about my studies was taking part in the EIRSAT-1 project. A project to design, build, test and launch Ireland’s very first satellite (launched into space on 1 Dec 2023). After this, I knew I wanted to continue working with satellites, so moved to my current job!
What inspired you to choose your job? My experience with the EIRSAT-1 project. I found a huge passion for all things satellite, from designing and testing them (which I did as part of the EIRSAT-1 team) all the way through to launching and operating them (which is what I do now).
What is the best thing about what you do? I work with satellites! More specifically, a fleet of satellites! Hundreds of them! That are in space right now! This is something that I will never not find cool!
Is your job hard or dangerous or fun? My job is hard work but is also very interesting! The satellites I work with are in space, which can be a difficult place to be. Space is very cold, there’s no air, and it’s difficult to get to! Because of this, we need to work hard to make sure they stay healthy and continue to do their job.
What are the people you work with like? I work with really cool people, with different interests and hobbies, coming from all sorts of space and non-space backgrounds from all over the world. They are great and make my job a lot of fun!
Mary Patience Namugwanya
Job: MSc Space Science and Technology Student at University College Dublin and Mentor at STEAM Academy.
Hobbies: Singing, dancing, hiking and travelling.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Ambitious, outgoing, adaptive.
How did you get to where you are now? I have always wanted to be an astronaut and this has guided my path to where I am now. I graduated with a degree in telecommunication engineering from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda. Driven by my passion and interest in space, I began my master’s in space science and technology at University College Dublin which I am currently doing full-time.
What is the best thing about what you do? Learning something new every day. I have a curious mind that loves learning new things, always seeking answers to existing questions and new questions to answer. I also enjoy building solutions to problems on Earth and in space using space technologies. For example, I am currently doing my internship with CeADAR (Ireland’s Centre for AI) where I am building a tool to detect landslides in peatlands in Ireland using images from a satellite called Sentinel-1. It's quite exciting using space technologies to do positive, impactful work.
Is your job hard or dangerous or fun? My job is quite fun. It can be hard figuring out a solution to a problem or even an answer to a question. But once you figure it out, it’s fun bringing the solution to life.
What are the people you work with like? The people I work with are diverse. They come from different parts of the world with different cultures and different professional backgrounds. Therefore, when solving a new problem, there are several different ideas for solutions chipped in by different people based on their former experiences. Outside work, they are such a great team to hang out with, regardless of our different cultural backgrounds, we enjoy having fun together.
If you were going to space, what is the one personal/luxury item you would bring? My rosary.
Melissa Brobby
Job: Science Communicator/Writer/Digital Communications Officer at the UK Space Agency.
What do you do? In my day job, I promote the work of the UK Space Agency and what is happening in the UK space sector on social media. Outside of my job, I write articles on space-related subjects from spaceflight to the solar system and beyond for Sky at Night magazine, and I am a judge for the Royal Observatory’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year award.
Hobbies: Stargazing, baking, dancing, travelling.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Curious, enthusiastic, ambitious.
How did you get to where you are now? I worked as a journalist in my 20s before transitioning to writing content for websites on various subjects. When Maggie Aderin-Pocock was announced as a presenter for The Sky at Night, it showed me that someone who looked like me could do the very thing I had always wanted to do – share the wonders of space with a wider audience. I decided to embark on a career change, and in my mid-30s I studied astronomy at UCL, and I now create content for the UK Space Agency’s social media and write articles for Sky at Night magazine.
What inspired you to choose your job? I have always loved writing and answering people’s space questions, so my job is the perfect combination of my two passions.
What is the best thing about what you do? The best thing about my job is that no two days are the same. One day I could be writing about the northern lights being visible from the UK, the next I could be interviewing astronauts! I also really enjoy creating space content that inspires people to want to learn more.
Is your job hard or dangerous or fun? My job is busy because there is so much happening in the space sector, but it’s a lot of fun writing about upcoming space missions and astronomical events.
What are the people you work with like? I’m very lucky to work with people who are friendly, passionate about space and brilliant at what they do.
If you were going to space, what is the one personal/luxury item you would bring? My iPod and headphones.
Peter Milne
Job: Retired Consultant Engineer in the space industry.
What do you do? Satellites are like mobile-phone base stations in the sky, enabling television and phone calls (amongst other things). I helped to design and build satellites and then I was buying satellites for the operators.
Hobbies: Astronomy and trying to relearn to play piano.
What three words would you use to describe yourself? Calm, enquiring, listener.
How did you get to where you are now? I was always interested in science at school (especially physics) and joined the school astronomy club, which led to me studying astronomy at university. After graduating I started working on all different kinds of satellites, small communications satellites, scientific satellites trying to find out more about the Earth or space, and even huge navigation satellites.
After around 15 years of designing and building them I became a consultant, working to help companies buy and operate the right satellite for the job they want to do.
What inspired you to choose your job? I wanted a job related to my interests and qualification. The space industry seemed closest to working in astronomy.
What is the best thing about what you do? I have had the pleasure of enjoying my work, and travelling the world!
Is your job hard or dangerous or fun? My work was difficult, at times, and I did travel to some dangerous countries, but overall, the work was not dangerous.
What are the people you work with like? I have met, and worked with, a wide variety of people from many different cultures. Almost all were friendly and good work companions.
If you were going to space, what is the one personal/luxury item you would bring? A good book.