The beauty of new
beginnings: one week ago, after being discharged from the hospital, I watched space history in the making. As my husband drove the car and my
one-day-old daughter wailed in the car seat, I watched the SpaceX
Falcon 9 rocket launch above the treetops and disappear into the
clouds. When I brought my daughter home for the first time and was
taking her out of the car seat, we heard the twin sonic booms from
the upper stage returning to land vertically. A new life beginning,
the sonic booms returning to the Space Coast, and a new stage of
rocketry beginning. Cheers for new beginnings at the conclusion of
2015!
The new year will
also bring new beginnings for me professionally. When I was
approached to help establish a space start-up company in Florida, it
was an exciting opportunity that I couldn't pass up. Although I
don't use the term “newspace,” I find myself swept up in the
excitement of the emerging space industry with its promise of new
technology and more frequent access to space for a larger segment of
the population. I knew full well that many space start-ups don't
achieve their goals and fade into history. I don't regret my decision
to take the job and I have learned a lot in the past year. I've had
experiences that I wouldn't have otherwise had and gotten to know
some great people from all over the world. But, it is time to move
on. We have closed the Florida office and I have resigned from my
position managing Swiss Space System's Florida operations.
I'm not one to be
idle for long. Already I've been working on a few projects as an
analyst for Astralytical, a space consultancy start-up. I am starting
small, especially with a newborn to care for. In 2016, I plan to
increase my efforts and try new things. I am a highly educated,
highly competent space professional, yet I find it difficult to put
myself out there to try new things which I've never done but know
that I'm capable of. I fear criticism and failure, yet those
negatives help to mold me into a better professional. With
Astralytical, I will grow professionally to become what I know that I
can be.
A merry Christmas
and a joyful and successful new year to us all!
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| Baby Josephine and I wish you the happiest of holidays! |
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