tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63011377194370612522024-03-13T17:50:30.350-04:00Laura's Space on SpaceA blog about a professional space enthusiast's adventures.Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.comBlogger167125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-40741906486880260732022-07-11T11:15:00.001-04:002022-07-11T11:15:06.593-04:00A Plethora of Space Podcasts<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNS64R2qura5fU5bKu9ji3ZcFOfo4hGE8s6Q1X4rJ38KaYq0VKvR0JLzY9YiKIDsCtZHGFcpEsWF2J0AFEOPZVw2VjMYf8gN6RxgRZhZkYuV4agXZKAdN7YGLsUnuZoxGhTX4Ox42GCNxg97_L8usxViZk0jT0WH9dom1enmFSVa8p4Svai6AJVeJA/s1152/A%20Plethora%20of%20Podcasts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNS64R2qura5fU5bKu9ji3ZcFOfo4hGE8s6Q1X4rJ38KaYq0VKvR0JLzY9YiKIDsCtZHGFcpEsWF2J0AFEOPZVw2VjMYf8gN6RxgRZhZkYuV4agXZKAdN7YGLsUnuZoxGhTX4Ox42GCNxg97_L8usxViZk0jT0WH9dom1enmFSVa8p4Svai6AJVeJA/s320/A%20Plethora%20of%20Podcasts.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Better late than never: my third annual space podcast recommendations!</p><p><br /></p><p>Podcasting has become a popular way to communicate. I’m particularly hooked on space podcasts. Below are some of my favorites, most new within the past year.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you missed it, check out my 2020 and 2021 space podcast recommendations:</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/03/space-podcasts-im-hooked-on.html" target="_blank">Space Podcasts I'm Hooked On (2020)</a></p><p><a href="https://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2021/05/space-podcasts-for-your-post-pandemic.html" target="_blank">Space Podcasts for Your Post-Pandemic Life (2021)</a></p><p><br /></p><p><b>7-Things Space</b></p><p>This new podcast only has one episode out, so I can’t predict its frequency or future style. But in the first episode, co-hosts Aravind Ravichandran and Case Taylor discuss seven current space topics for 35 minutes.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>EVONA Origin Stories</b></p><p>In this new podcast by space recruiting company EVONA, the host interviews guests about their space careers and career paths for 30 to 60 minutes, publishing roughly every-other-week.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>JAXA Space and Astronautical Science Podcast</b></p><p>This podcast isn’t afraid to go long! Hosted by the The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, this English-language podcast interviews with JAXA-associated guests every month about their work and careers, with interviews ranging from 45 minutes to a whopping 2-hour-17-minute marathon.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Kathy Sullivan Explores</b></p><p>Published weekly, explorer and former astronaut Kathy Sullivan interviews a variety of guests, most space-related, some not, on topics of their work and life for approximately an hour. She also publishes little mini memoirs, 5 to 15 minutes long, with a personal story of her time as an astronaut, which have quickly become some of my favorite episodes to listen to of any podcast.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Lockheed Martin Space Makers Podcast</b></p><p>This professionally-produced podcast tells the stories of various space missions that Lockheed Martin has taken part in through narration and interviews with key individuals. First season episodes were 20 – 60 minutes long and published weekly.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Pathfinder</b></p><p>This new weekly podcast by Payload Space’s Ryan Duffy features interviews with space-related guests, 45 – 60 minutes long.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Pod Ad Astra</b></p><p>In this sporadically -published podcast, guests are interviewed for 20 – 60 minutes on topics surrounding rarely-discussed human right in space.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Space Connect Podcast</b></p><p>This weekly podcast with host Phillip Tarrant focuses on the Australian space sector with 30 – 60 minute interviews with guests,</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Space in 60</b></p><p>Co-hosted by TerraMetric’s Clint Grauman, Chad Baker, and Andrew Pylypchuk, this every-other-week podcast interviews space guests for 30 – 60 minutes.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Space Marketing Podcast</b></p><p>This new podcast hosted by Izzy House only has one episode out featuring an interview with a guest for 35 minutes. Future episodes will presumably focus more on space-related marketing.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Space Strategy</b></p><p>This sporadically-published podcast hosted by Peter Garretson features interviews with space policy guests ranging in length from 15 minutes to 2 hours.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Space, Eh?</b></p><p>As the humorous title implies, this podcast is by The Canadian Space Society featuring interviews with Canadian space guests, published sporadically, around 10 – 30 minutes each.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Spaced Out</b></p><p>The first season of this podcast by NYU Abu Dhabi featured 30 – 45 minute interviews with space guests.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Spaceport America Podcast</b></p><p>This monthly podcast, hosted by Alice Carruth, features 20 – 40 minute interviews with guests surrounding topics related to Spaceport America in New Mexico.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The Downlink</b></p><p>This weekly podcast by the Defense & Aerospace Report, hosted by Laura Winter, features interviews with guests surrounding space-related current events, ranging between 25 – 40 minutes long.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The Future of Space</b></p><p>This frequently published podcast (every Tuesday and Thursday) hosted by Daniel Fox features interviews with guests, around 45 minutes each.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Where's My Jetpack?</b></p><p>In its first season, this podcast by co-hosts Sarah Cruddas and Luke Moore tackle topics of futuristic technology(most space-related) with interviews with guests around 40 minutes each.</p><p><br /></p><p>Not seeing your favorite space podcast on my list? Check out the <a href="http://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/03/space-podcasts-im-hooked-on.html" target="_blank">2020</a> and <a href="https://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2021/05/space-podcasts-for-your-post-pandemic.html" target="_blank">2021</a> lists or leave a comment to recommend one!</p>Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-68722851487845131752022-02-04T13:05:00.003-05:002022-02-04T13:07:58.550-05:00The Next Generations<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8kqIbA1bXFWbVgCKW3TfctusUUMgcRiGabARXEWUylMssAg3GOwfJKidYIvrjzDv4hqOVydwrsAEU7EUuHDmKSb6gIfDaan6uijiV3c5j2U_SBdGju5qfF6NP6nqLSoRok80YqR_WUAEEXPpKB5cVrVxh3uNMmuwfWbfi2b0j4lMRuCH8KeBG3yWI=s5184" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="5184" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8kqIbA1bXFWbVgCKW3TfctusUUMgcRiGabARXEWUylMssAg3GOwfJKidYIvrjzDv4hqOVydwrsAEU7EUuHDmKSb6gIfDaan6uijiV3c5j2U_SBdGju5qfF6NP6nqLSoRok80YqR_WUAEEXPpKB5cVrVxh3uNMmuwfWbfi2b0j4lMRuCH8KeBG3yWI=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meet baby Jude, the newest little explorer of our family</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Introducing my fourth child, space baby Jude Angelo, who
launched into this world late Wednesday night, 2/2/22.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">After the birth of my second child, an
acquaintance advised me not to post personal updates on professional
platforms such as LinkedIn, not even life-changing events such as the
birth of a child. I didn’t fully understand at the time why that
advice bothered me so much that I deliberately chose to do the
opposite.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">My third child was born early enough
into the pandemic that it was still novel to get a peak into the
personal lives of our colleagues working from home. I’d been
working from home since 2014 and always felt the need to hide the
fact that I had babies and young children as office companions over
the years.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The rise of coronavirus-times
work-at-home normality changed how we collectively perceive the
office environment. While I still do my best to minimize noise and
take calls away from the kids, I no longer feel hesitant to mention
their existence in this home we share.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">When my third baby was still young in
late 2020 and early 2021, I held her during video calls and
conference talks when I needed to, sometimes off camera but usually
within view. I had taken my previous two babies to in-person
conferences and business events in “the before times.” Holding a
baby during a video meeting or talk was a natural extension of that
willingness to be public about my working motherhood.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I’ve tried to keep this open
mentality moving forward in my public/private life of inviting the
world to view a sliver of my home office. I was giving a conference
video talk a couple of weeks ago when my 6-year-old calmly walked
into the office during the last 5 minutes of my talk and sat on the
floor beside me off-camera. It was a sweet moment I treasured. It
reminded me of all the times I’d hang out in my mom’s law office
or when she was at court, observing her in a professional environment
that no doubt influenced me.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I did not enter the space sector with a
focus on the next generation. But bringing children into this world
has naturally shifted my perspective to become more forward-focused.
I want to progress humanity to the stars for the current generations
but even more so for the next ones. I want to open the opportunities
for everyone who comes after me.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">With two, possibly three of my children
being similarly disabled, I’m newly motivated to work toward a more
inclusive world that won’t limit my children’s passions by their
physical challenges. I want my kids, and all who feel called to look
up, to be able to reach for the stars.</p><br /><p></p>Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-25683688213487416982022-01-21T14:14:00.014-05:002022-01-21T15:08:23.836-05:00Lessons Learned Writing My Second Space Book<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZXpQ3yx39weLN2RhimugL8Hw_GVRUzgKCyXiiTlQqO2j8reo1FJvWSdn6_khSCoELdF8XPhRQy9FEsnLIvmGJhIS5T4jXBtmJFMuzhUSvVFBLrS3fjV2v58ZZ1vDhxwZ-IDJ8V-2U2rYRf6B_xZRNPPuhyDKwK_TgdquTrgqhE0jagNlbTx1fCpBY=s2320" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2308" data-original-width="2320" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZXpQ3yx39weLN2RhimugL8Hw_GVRUzgKCyXiiTlQqO2j8reo1FJvWSdn6_khSCoELdF8XPhRQy9FEsnLIvmGJhIS5T4jXBtmJFMuzhUSvVFBLrS3fjV2v58ZZ1vDhxwZ-IDJ8V-2U2rYRf6B_xZRNPPuhyDKwK_TgdquTrgqhE0jagNlbTx1fCpBY=w400-h398" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><br />It’s out! I’m so excited, proud, thrilled, ready to collapse – it’s out! On Monday, I published my second book, <i>Becoming Off-Worldly: Learning from Astronauts to Prepare for Your Spaceflight Journey</i>. <br /><br />
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">This
is a book for future astronaut hopefuls like me. I loved hearing all
the fun and insightful stories of what surprised astronauts about
their spaceflight experiences. I was so touched by the stories of
space pioneers who helped create this new era of commercial human
spaceflight as well as those who have signed up to put their lives on
the line to fly.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">It
took me almost two years to write <i>Becoming Off-Worldly</i> and it
was worth it. It’s my favorite work I've ever written. I really love this
book.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">If
you’ve ever published a book, you know it’s a feat. It’s also a
labor of love. I’m not aiming to be a best selling author, yet only
best sellers are financially successful enough to justify the many,
many, MANY hours of research, interviews, writing, rewriting,
editing, publishing, marketing, and everything else. It’s a lot
more work than typing a blog article and pressing publish. It’s a
project!</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
call my first book, <i>Rise of the Space Age Millennials</i>, my
“starter book.” I raised initial funds on a Kickstarter
crowdfunding campaign and stumbled my way through self-publishing. I
made so many mistakes and learned so much along the way. I’m still
very proud of it, but there are many things I want to change. I plan
to release a new edition later this year to improve and add to the
work with voices from a younger generation.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
didn’t make the same mistakes the second time around. I made
completely new ones! And yet, with all the learning as I go, I
created a truly good book that I’m immensely proud of. <i>Becoming
Off-Worldly</i> earns its place among the other books on your
bookshelves.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Not
that I expect the book to be on many bookshelves because I’m
embarrassingly bad at sales. But that’s getting ahead of myself.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Starting
from the top. If any of my readers want to put yourself through the
roller coaster ride that is book writing and publishing, I’m
rooting for you! If I can do it, you can do it! I’m a scientist,
not an English major. Here are some lessons I learned the hard way
that I hope you can avoid.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Lesson
1: Too Many Interviews</b></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">This
was a lesson I mostly but not entirely learned from my first book. I
did just admit to being a scientist, yes? Maybe because of my X-ray
astrophysics background where photons are scarce and each one
valuable, I really wanted more data. People provide data. A large
number of interviewees provide a collection of quality data!</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">But
I was writing a book, not creating a survey. It was difficult to
introduce readers to the 103 interviewees in my first book. There
were many diverse voices but the reader couldn’t remember one from
another. It was too much noise.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">So
of course I’m adding a few more interviews in the next edition.
Will I never learn?</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">With
my second book, I set out to focus on telling the stories of just a
few individuals. I really thought maybe 5 astronauts tops would agree
to speak with me. But I kept hearing yeses and making new
connections. Who can say no to an astronaut agreeing to tell a space
story or two? I ended up with 17 flown astronauts interviewed plus 4
“future fliers” who flew before the book was published.
Altogether there are 32 interviewees featured plus a foreword author.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
had a cut-off time for interviews, really I did. I called it my
biological deadline. I planned to finish the interview stage of my
book by the time my third child was born in August 2020, take a few
months’ break, then enter the writing stage.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">But
I kept coming across new people I just had to include! The
Inspiration4 crew was announced in early 2021. I heard a fun, quirky
interview with a future ISS private astronaut who I just had to
connect with. My friend Kellie got her ticket to fly. How could I
pass on anyone whose voice could add so much value to the insights in
the book?</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
am so, so thankful to everyone who agreed to be interviewed for the
book! This book wouldn’t exist without their stories and insights.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Lesson
2: Persistence Can Pay Off, But I Can’t Win Them All</b></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Even
with over 30 interviews in the book, the ones I didn’t get still
bother me. There was the one who agreed to an interview then ghosted
me. There are the two who acknowledged receipt of my request then
became unresponsive. Seriously people, just reply to decline, don’t
make me send email after email and then leave you an awkward
voicemail! Those three interviewees could have added such great
perspectives and it’s our collective loss that I could not include
their stories in the book.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
also tried and failed to interview a Russian cosmonaut. They all seem
to be connected to the Russian government, even after they retired
from their spaceflight careers. I asked for help from NASA astronauts
who flew with cosmonauts as well as assistance from an organization
whose entire membership has flown in space and got nothing. My goal
was for the book to be culturally diverse and I succeeded in many ways,
but the lack of a Russian perspective is a hole.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">There
were also the companies who were completely uncooperative despite the
book being free positive publicity for them. I’m figuratively glaring
at two spaceflight facilitators in particular. But their silence made
room for me to shine a spotlight on their competitors who did add
their voices to the book and got that free publicity.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Lesson
3: Be Quiet When Recording Interviews</b></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Do
you know how hard it is to accurately transcribe an interview over an
imperfect connection? It’s even harder to transcribe when I’m
tapping my fingers, moving around paper, laughing over what someone
is saying, or doing who knows what to make whatever noise I’m
hearing as I listen to the same sentence ten times trying to
understand the words coming from my interviewee’s mouth.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">It’s
a skill to be still and quite and just let the other person talk.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Lesson
4: Write Without Distractions</b></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Everyone
works differently. Some people like to write in coffee shops or
libraries or parks among noise and crowds and endless distractions.
That’s not me.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
need a quiet room alone for a solid hour or two or three to really
get into the flow of writing. Bonus if I can keep away from email and
social media.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
have young children so this is very difficult to arrange. A
supportive husband who has been working from home since the start of
the pandemic gets the credit by providing me with those solid blocks
of time alone to get into the flow.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Lesson
5: Allow More Time for Editing and Release</b></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
rushed my first book. I spent so long self-doubting and
procrastinating on the writing, by the time I finished the
manuscript, I just wanted it done. I wanted it published on my
birthday, very soon after I finished writing, and it shows. I ended
up with cover art I didn’t like, writing that needed more
refinement, and a boatload of typos.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">With
my second book, I hired not just an editor, but also enlisted the
help of proofreaders. I allowed for more time to prepare the
manuscript and art. I had a last-minute manuscript edit when an
interviewee needed me to change her introduction, but that didn’t
feel like an emergency because I had the time to make those changes.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Not
only did I feel that I could prepare the book better, I felt that I
could prepare myself better for the release date. I was physically
(well, digitally) and mentally prepared by the time of book launch.
The extra time even allowed for a soft release to ask for endorsement
blurbs and early reviews.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
still wanted it published on my birthday (this past Monday). And I
have another biological deadline. Today I’m T-7 days away from the
estimated due date of my fourth child. I knew there was a possibility
I might publish the book while nursing an early-arriving newborn if
circumstances arose. Life is always happening no matter what
deadlines you give yourself which is all the more reason to allow for
buffer time if possible.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Of
course, even after all that extra time and help, I still managed to
find all kinds of typos after publication. Oops. I’ll fix them
eventually.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Lesson
6: Pay For Good Help</b></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">One
thing I did right with my first book as well as my second book was to
pay someone I trust to edit my book. Bonus that he works in the space
sector and could fact-check as well as edit. Good editing is worth
paying a professional for.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Advice
everywhere is to pay a professional artist for cover art. I had great
luck with finding an interior artist for my first book. And my
company’s graphic designer is invaluable. But I’ve had terrible
luck finding a quality cover artist. I’ve paid artists twice now
for cover art I didn’t like. So, I went against common advice and
designed my own cover for my second book. I think it turned out
better than the first time! The key here is to pay for good help, and
I just haven’t found a good cover artist yet.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">There
have been issues with formatting and typesetting with both of my
books. The end result is good, but not without the struggle of
multiple revisions. Both individuals came highly recommended so I’m
not sure what to do differently next time (if there is a next time).
Maybe I just need to accept that formatting a book takes extra time
due to the need for revisions. In the end, I am glad I’ve paid for
professionals to format my books this instead of attempting to do it
myself.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Lesson
7: Get Those Early Readers</b></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">One
thing I didn’t do – didn’t even think to do – with my first
book was to ask anyone to write a foreword, endorsement blurb, or
early review. I didn’t allow for enough time between finishing the
book and publication to allow for such extras. Nor did I know who to
ask or how.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">If
it wasn’t for my editor introducing me to Frank White, I wouldn’t
have thought to include a foreword. Frank’s generous words offered
valuable context and insight right at the start of the book. Among
the holiday season and his work responsibilities, he needed time to
read the book and write such thoughtful words. I’m glad I factored in that extra time before publication.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Frank’s
kind offer to write a foreword gave me the courage to reach out to
some of my interviewees and one person who had no connection to the
book to ask for blurbs, essentially testimonials from people whose
opinions matter. I don’t know if I would have been brave enough to
even ask for words of praise from such high-profile individuals if I
hadn’t already been encouraged by Frank’s involvement. I was
thrilled when I got so many positive responses, more than I could
include on the back of the book! I’m so thankful for the
encouragement.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
rejected the very notion of caring about reviews with my first book.
I was writing for myself, so what did reviews matter? But reader
reviews really do matter to potential customers who want the
assurance that the product is good before they invest their money and
time. If a book is brand new and it has no reviews, potential readers
might pass it over compared to a new book that has several early
positive reviews.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
really didn’t focus much on early reviews with this second book,
either, but at least I understand them better. I was shocked to see a
recent space book receive over 100 of 4- and 5-star reviews on Amazon
despite it being pretty poorly written in my opinion. I realized that
the author probably gave out hundreds (or thousands) of free copies
to get so many reviews, just as he had given a free copy to me to
read. The sheer number of decently good reviews is enough to
encourage people to take a chance on a product.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
have been giving out more free copies of my book this time around,
but more as a thank-you gift rather than a request for reviews. If I
could go back in time, I’d make an extensive list of people I want
to give books to and do so before book launch so I’m not in the
situation I’m in today, suddenly realizing I should gift someone an
ebook copy days after publication.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b>Lesson
Still In Progress: Marketing and Sales</b></span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Readers,
I have no idea what I’m doing as I try to get this book into
others’ hands. I’m a scientist, not a salesperson. Even after
founding my own company 6 years ago, I’ve been learning the
business side as I go and I’m still terrible at sales.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">I
know I created a quality book. I know so many people would enjoy it
and learn from it. I have no idea how to get “so many people” to
even know about it, much less read it.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i>Becoming
Off-Worldly</i> has the potential to touch so many lives. It gives
hope to those who long to have their chance to touch the stars and
admire our planet from above. It gives actionable advice to anyone
preparing to fly to space, whether next week or some future unknown
date. It explores lesser known perspectives about what surprised
astronauts about spaceflight and what motivates commercial space
pioneers.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">If
I had a larger budget, I’d go back to Lesson 6 and pay a
professional to design and execute a marketing campaign. But alas, my
marketing budget is just not that large as of yet.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Have
any advice for me on how to get my book into reader’s hands? Or can
I help you with your book writing or spaceflight preparation? Post in
the comments, reply on social media, or send me a message.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">You
can buy a copy of the book on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PRQ1JQJ">Amazon</a> or <a href="http://astralytical.com/becoming-offworldly">Astralytical</a>. Get
a free <i>Becoming Off-Worldly</i> sticker when you <a href="https://www.astralytical.com/orderbooks/becoming-offworldly">buy an autographed copy</a> (US shipping only). Request a copy through your local library or favorite bookstore.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Like
what you read? <a href="https://www.astralytical.com/becoming-offworldly">Sign up for my new author newsletter</a> and get a free
copy of Chapter 2 of <i>Becoming Off-Worldly</i>.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">If
you enjoy the book, please consider leaving an honest review on your
favorite book review site.</span></span></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Pre-register
for the <a href="https://www.astralytical.com/become-offworldly-course">Prepare to Become Off-Worldly Astronaut Training course</a> and
get $50 off registration! Or send me proof of your honest review of
<i>Becoming Off-Worldly</i> to enroll for free.</span></span></span></p>Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-56531880572735565362021-12-16T09:56:00.003-05:002022-01-21T15:09:41.781-05:00The Time I Almost Quit My Own Company But Quit a Client Instead<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4E45jfiulPJpM1qt2QJz7NF_U6gjz4xSs4TLjH1bde39qkTIYgM3SHik_pIqbXRYgoc3fjs3ya5f7k1_xxkMzayZnuMPLDRFA-rZo6bwSA1yUOq2-RQrzp5kMyFnpFFXKQTPlphT16W1lEbAeAfRylG52GzneYAn-UbLDtNnSSyByvuvz0_BnPURT=s1699" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1699" data-original-width="866" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4E45jfiulPJpM1qt2QJz7NF_U6gjz4xSs4TLjH1bde39qkTIYgM3SHik_pIqbXRYgoc3fjs3ya5f7k1_xxkMzayZnuMPLDRFA-rZo6bwSA1yUOq2-RQrzp5kMyFnpFFXKQTPlphT16W1lEbAeAfRylG52GzneYAn-UbLDtNnSSyByvuvz0_BnPURT=w204-h400" width="204" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Feb. 2017, finally free from a bad client.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">January will mark the six year
anniversary of my small company. I’m thrilled to have recovered
from a poor 2020 to make 2021 the most successful year of
Astralytical yet!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Five years ago, I almost threw in the
towel and gave up on running my little business. Almost. But I
toughed it out and learned a lot along the way.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The last year of working for my
previous employer was rough. The company stopped meeting regular
payroll, a decision they made while I was on my honeymoon after
spending our savings on a wedding and a trip to St. Croix.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I struggled with irregular paychecks as
my husband and I lived in two different states for the first few
months of our marriage. We learned I was pregnant. We had expected to
live in two residences on two incomes, flying back and forth
regularly to see each other. We quickly realized we needed to
consolidate and rethink our finances with a baby on the way.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As my income shrunk and became
unpredictable, my anxiety climbed. I tutored in my spare time for the
little bit of extra income. In December, in my final weeks of
pregnancy, the company stopped paying for our health insurance. I’m
forever grateful to my direct boss who ensured I had health insurance
for that last month so I could give birth to my child with peace of
mind. I officially resigned at the end of that year.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I officially started Astralytical in
January with no clear idea of what I wanted to do with it. My initial
ideas were to publish reports, consult, and work on academic
projects. Those first few months, I felt out the market, trying to
figure out where I belonged and what others would pay me to do. I
struggled. I was a scientist with no background in business, trying
to start a small business part-time from scratch.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I was thrilled to sign my first client
in April! It was a milestone for my brand new company. Someone was
willing to pay me to help them with their space-related project.
That’s exactly what I wanted for my young company and for my future
as a consultant! I felt like I was proving my business case. I could
do this!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The thrill faded quickly. My client,
owner of a one-person nonprofit, had even less business sense than I
had. Her heart was in the right place but her finances were not.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">My client wanted me to make things
happen but was hesitant to pay me for my time to do so. She snubbed
my fundraising advice. When I learned she was broke and sacrificing
basic living needs to fund the nonprofit, I no longer felt I could
ethically continue to charge her. After a few weeks of work, very
little money, and no real accomplishments, I felt as though my work
with my first client was a failure.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I kept going. For months I volunteered
my time here and there, trying to find leads that would pay me. I was
thrilled to get a call back months later from a small company I had
been talking with earlier in the year. They needed my help to expand
into the emerging commercial space industry, they said. Well, they
were in luck because that’s my expertise!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I started work with my second client in
July. Oh how I wish I could go back in time and fix one thing that
would have made all the difference. I knew I had been screwed over
very shortly after signing the contract, but what could I do? It was
my fault for signing it, for not negotiating better.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">You see, they misled me. They weren’t
willing to pay me what I was worth. They sent me a contract for a
flat fee per month worth about half-time pay. When I pushed back,
they claimed it was part-time work. But they didn’t specify in
writing. Why oh why did I sign a contract with no cap on the number
of hours per month or no tiered payment based on hours worked? I will
never make that mistake again.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The job was, in fact, not half-time.
Most weeks, it was much closer to full-time. Some weeks, it was well
over full-time. My personal life and my mental health suffered as my
husband and I moved four times in six months with a young baby and I
struggled to get the work accomplished under their short timelines.
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Since we had little savings due to my
minimal pay the previous year, we really needed the money. I was
doing good work and I didn’t want to lose this client. That is,
until around three months in.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">After I completed my first project,
they abruptly decided to change direction away from commercial space.
They gave me a new project that was completely unrelated to my
expertise. I really should have questioned why I was assigned this
work given my total lack of experience with the subject matter. But,
I needed the money, and I could learn on the job. I had to keep
going.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The client’s expectations were
unreasonable. They had never trained me on processes and procedures
so I had to figure it all out on my own as I went. This led to a lot
of tears when the software they wanted me to use didn’t work, but I
figured it out. They set unspoken expectations and I had to guess at
what they were. When the second project was assigned, I think they
assumed that I knew the process already and could complete the work
very quickly. Never mind that I had no knowledge of the topic and the
deadline was over the end-of-year holiday season!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">October was when I began to admit aloud
to my husband how miserable I was. Working too many hours, being
significantly underpaid, and dealing with poor and discouraging
management – it was all too much.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">But I had no other clients knocking at
my door, nor did I have time to look for any new clients. My husband
was switching jobs and we were moving again. We were house shopping.
We needed the income. How long could I stay with a bad client? How
long would they keep me? With their pivot away from emerging
commercial space, I was no longer a good match for the company.
Everything felt wrong.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">As the holidays approached, work
intensified, and management became harder to deal with and even more
discouraging. The year had not gone as I expected. My little company
had failed. I was no longer even working on my company. The website
existed, but I had been neglecting the company for months to work for
a client that was demanding full-time work for half-time pay with no
benefits or vacation days. My space career was stalling. Something
needed to change.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I could quit Astralytical, I
considered. With our move into our new home in a new city complete, I
could find a full-time job with benefits and make double what my
client was paying me. Why was I continuing down a path that was all
wrong for me?</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">But I still had so many great ideas for
Astralytical! I had so much left I wanted to try, so many projects I
wanted to attempt. I felt that I hadn’t given Astralytical enough
time to prove itself as a worthwhile business. I hadn’t given it
the time it needed to really grow as I wanted.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It was settled, then. I would drop the
bad client so I could refocus on Astralytical’s core. But, how? I
had never fired a client before. I postponed the decision until after
I completed the second project in early January.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I was almost giddy with relief when,
after handing in that project, the client told me they “couldn’t
figure out how to monetize my skill set” and decided to stop
working with me for now. I was free!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I was so energized by my new free time
to focus on my company, I immediately got to work writing and
publishing a mini space report. And I laughed and shook my head in
disbelief when the ex-client, who was no longer paying me, tried to
tell me I wasn’t allowed to publish anything under my company’s
name because it was confusing to their clients. Maybe they should
have written that into the contract!</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Five years later, that client remains
the worst I’ve ever had, the one that almost made me quit
consulting altogether. And that’s saying something; I had a
belligerent client refuse to pay me earlier this year (just for a 1
hour phone call, thankfully) who only ranks second worst. I’m
thankful I kept going. As it turned out, Astralytical did need more
time to prove itself and to grow.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">With my new focus on Astralytical’s
purpose and goals that second year, I formed the space career
coaching segment and signed my first coaching client in March. I’ve
since worked with over 55 coaching clients from all over the world
with a wide diversity of backgrounds, all pursuing space careers.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Also in March, I signed my third
consulting client. It was a pleasure working with this client to
research and write a report for them that they still refer to today.
I enjoy keeping up with their progress to this day. It was this third
client that finally showed me what consulting could be like: a
mutually beneficial relationship that carries on into the future.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">From wanting to dissolve the company at
the end of 2016 to delivering a satisfying report to a great client
in mid 2017, my mindset completely shifted. I felt like my company
was really on the right track.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Altogether I’ve worked with 27
consulting clients on a wide variety of projects internationally.
It’s been so rewarding to assist in the background with so many
aspects of the space sector from science to education to business to
public policy. The diversity of topics keeps me always learning
something new and piecing together connections at the intersections.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Six years down, Astralytical is the
best job I’ve ever had! I’m looking forward to seeing what the
seventh year brings.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Sometimes, when you know you’re going
in the wrong direction and you just want to throw up your hands and
quit, it helps to dive deeper. What don’t you like about your
current path? What do you like about your current path? What would
you change if you could? Whether a small tweak or a giant turn, you
do have the power to move away from what’s making you unhappy and
work toward your real motivations and goals.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I hired a general career coach when I
was dissatisfied in my first career job. She advised me to drop what
drained my energy and pursue what gave me energy. Or, in the words of
Marie Kondo, “Does this spark joy?” If not, thank it and let it
go.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I needed to drop the client that
drained me so I could pursue forming my small business in a way that
brings me joy. And it made all the difference. What changes will you
make in the new year?</p></div>Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-14535140348835996092021-07-11T20:40:00.001-04:002021-07-11T20:50:36.645-04:00Manifesting Space Dreams Into Reality<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CDb3KXtrqoM/YOuO3yB021I/AAAAAAAACwk/WPZeTVosmw05QANJCyNplizYKv7GkC-oACNcBGAsYHQ/s407/19744_533126603225_5748002_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="407" data-original-width="407" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CDb3KXtrqoM/YOuO3yB021I/AAAAAAAACwk/WPZeTVosmw05QANJCyNplizYKv7GkC-oACNcBGAsYHQ/s320/19744_533126603225_5748002_n.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forming my dreams at the 2010 Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p>Human spaceflight always has been emotional for me. From the very first space shuttle launch I saw at NASA Kennedy Space Center when I was a new freshman in college to the new commercial vehicles conducting test flights, there's a mix of rush, excitement, and fear. Lives are on the line. The memory of those we've lost are a constant reminder that these brave pioneers could die before my eyes. But spaceflight is one of the most grand undertakings humanity has ever accomplished. And I want to join them, personally.</p><p>It's difficult to express how meaningful it is to know someone preparing to fly to space and to watch them make that dream a reality. I've met over 50 flown astronauts and a few who were selected by NASA but hadn't yet had their chance to fly. But of the astronauts I've gotten to know for more than a brief meeting or two, I knew none of them before their spaceflights. When I met them, they already symbolized that beyond-sky-high achievement that seems out-of-reach for so many of us.</p><p>When Alan Stern was selected in October last year to become NASA's first sponsored suborbital researcher on a future Virgin Galactic flight, I was elated. I've known Alan since I was a graduate student and I've worked with him on a number of small projects. I've watched him champion for human-tended suborbital science within NASA and the wider space community.</p><p>Alan and two of his colleagues at Southwest Research Institute, Dan Durda and Cathy Olkin, already held tickets to fly as researchers on Virgin Galactic (and XCOR Aerospace back in the day) via SwRI. But there was something about the NASA selection that made it feel more real, more official, more notable. NASA astronaut selection and training is a highly rigorous process with an elite group of very few people wearing the coveted title of NASA astronaut. For NASA to select someone outside of that tight selection process to fly on a suborbital spaceflight on behalf of NASA, that stood out to me as different. As more attainable. As a way for me and others like me to fly as a researcher someday.</p><p>My friend Kellie Gerardi blew me away with the way she defined her dream to fly to space (read her book Not Necessarily Rocket Science) and then made it happen! In June, the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences selected her to fly on a future Virgin Galactic research flight. I burst into tears when I heard the news! Not only was I thrilled for Kellie, I recognized her in myself. We share the same dreams and the same motivations. She's making her dream happen. So can I.</p><p>On July 1, Virgin Galactic announced the crew of its next test flight with Sirisha Bandla on board. One of my first memories of Sirisha was watching her assist with a raffle at the 2012 Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference, both of us watching as someone in the audience won a trip to suborbital space with XCOR Aerospace. XCOR may not have made it, but Sirisha did.</p><p>Knot in my throat, I teared up as I watched Virgin Galactic astronaut 004 Sirisha Bandla soar to space today with the rest of the Unity22 crew, focused on suborbital science all the while. Sirisha accomplished her dream today. I can too. And so can so many others who saw her fly today and were inspired by her accomplishment.</p><p>One of the first times I met Alan when I was a graduate student, he asked me what I was doing to accomplish my goals. He meant it as a rhetorical question to emphasize a point: it's not enough to dream, we need to take actions to pursue our dreams. It wasn't until Alan spoke at the first Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference in 2010 that I even considered the possibility of becoming a suborbital researcher. Now I've witnessed Sirisha make history doing so and I'm cheering on Kellie, Alan, Dan, and others who will someday as well. My dream is to fly suborbital science myself someday. And/or go to the Moon, of course.</p><p>What am I doing to make my dream happen? The beauty of this new industry is that there are multiple ways to pursue my dream. I'm involved in the space community, assisting with space payloads and supporting space companies. I'm entering various contests by Inspiration4, DearMoon, Omaze, and others to win a trip to space. I've spoken with flown astronauts and future flyers for my upcoming book on private spaceflight, hoping to better prepare my readers and myself for a future where we ourselves will fly. I'm always open to someone sponsoring my ride – call me!</p><p>They can do it. The crew of Unity22 have done it. The crew of Blue Origin's upcoming New Shepard flight are preparing to do it. We can do it too. Space belongs to all of us. This is just the very beginning of newly paved narrow-but-widening paths to allow us all to reach our dream of spaceflight.</p>Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-26731560430892579242021-05-24T10:21:00.006-04:002021-05-24T13:00:11.909-04:00Space Podcasts for Your Post-Pandemic Life<p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mw94yHR2xwM/YKu2TriYNSI/AAAAAAAACts/PTWIfylFhVsZO-3hG3FM8yuWKyCWj-QdwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1041/iss062e102315.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="1041" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mw94yHR2xwM/YKu2TriYNSI/AAAAAAAACts/PTWIfylFhVsZO-3hG3FM8yuWKyCWj-QdwCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/iss062e102315.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original photo credit NASA</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>With many of us stuck at home over the past year, companies and individuals have been seeking new ways to communicate with their audiences. The number of space podcasts has skyrocketed. There's nothing more human than to want to connect with other people. Podcasts offer a way for one's voice to reach a wide number of listener's phones and computers.</p><p>At the start of the pandemic last year, I listed some of my favorite space-related podcasts. Since then, I've increased my podcast subscriptions to 80 and added quite a few new and new-to-me podcasts to share with you.</p><p>Read: <a href="http://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/03/space-podcasts-im-hooked-on.html">2020's Space Podcasts I'm Hooked On</a></p><p><br /></p><p><b>2 Funny Astronauts</b></p><p>This brand new weekly podcast by Mike Massimino and Garrett Reisman features two astronauts telling entertaining stories about their unique experiences in 25 to 40 minute conversations.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Brave New Space</b></p><p>This space industry-focused podcast by Robert Jacobson and Keegan Kirkpatrick offers 20 to 30 minute interviews with space business guests once or twice per month.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>But It Is Rocket Science</b></p><p>This every-other-week podcast by aerospace engineers Henna and Anna offer relatable deep dives into various historical and current aerospace topics and casual insights into the hosts' lives in 30 to 60 minute segments.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Celestial Citizen</b></p><p>This weekly podcast for planning humanity's future in space features 45 to 60 minute interviews with a wide variety of guests by Britt Duffy Adkins just wrapped up its first season.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Dare to Explore</b></p><p>This podcast from the Space Camp Explorers Club is so new, I can't tell you its cadence. Perhaps monthly. It features 30 minute interviews with space-related guests.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Deep Space Podcast</b></p><p>This 15 to 30 minute podcast by Christen Kapavik and Jamil Castillo of the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration features interviews with space-related guests.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Dongfang Hour</b></p><p>This 30-minute weekly podcast by Blaine Curcio and Jean Deville covers Chinese aerospace and technology with weekly news summaries and occasional interviews.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Ex Terra</b></p><p>This 30-minute weekly podcast by Tom Patton features interviews with guests focusing on space commerce.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>For All Humankind</b></p><p>This new monthly podcast by Matt Marcus and Annika Rollock in partnership with Women of Aeronautics & Astronautics features interviews with young space professionals.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Making Space: The Female Frontier</b></p><p>This 6-episode limited edition podcast by CNET's Claire Reilly tells the stories of trailblazing women in space history and interviews women currently making history.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Mission: Interplanetary</b></p><p>This 30 to 45 minute weekly podcast by astronaut Cady Coleman and Andrew Maynard sponsored by Arizona State University and SLATE features interviews with space-related guests and discussions on space topics of interest.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>NewSpaceVision</b></p><p>This monthly podcast by Sven Przywarra and Daniel Seidel, currently on break, offers interviews with space business guests ranging from 20 to 80 minutes long.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Preparing for Launch</b></p><p>This every-other-week podcast by Caroline Swenson of UKSEDS, currently on break, offers 40 to 60 minute interviews with space guests.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>SEDScast</b></p><p>This weekly student-run podcast by SEDS USA recently wrapped up season 3. It offers 25 to 45 minute interviews with space guests.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Space and Things</b></p><p>This weekly 30 to 75 minute podcast by Emily Carney and Dave Giles offers space news, space discussions, and interviews with space guests.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Space Business Podcast</b></p><p>This mostly weekly podcast by Raphael Roettgen, produced in partnership with the International Space University, offers 30 to 60 minute interviews with space business guests.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Space Café Podcast</b></p><p>This fortnightly podcast by Markus Mooslechner and SpaceWatch.Global offers roughly 1 hour interviews with space guests. Not to be confused with the live video interview series by the same name.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Space Curious</b></p><p>This 15 to 20 minute, every-other-week podcast by WKMG News 6 reporter Emilee Speck covers questions of interest submitted space-curious audience and features interviews with space guests.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Space Explored</b></p><p>This sort of weekly podcast by 9to5Mac hosts covers space news with a particular emphasis on SpaceX in 30 to 90 minute episodes.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Space Policy Pod</b></p><p>This non-regular podcast by Steve Sidorek, sponsored by AIAA, MITRE Corporation, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce featured 25 to 40 minute interviews with space policy guests.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Space to Grow</b></p><p>This every-other-week podcast by Astroscale's Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden offers 45 minute interviews with guests on space sustainability.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>SpaceBase Podcast</b></p><p>This monthly podcast by Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom offers 30 to 60 minute interviews with space guests relevant to New Zealand.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Spaced Out!</b></p><p>This weekly podcast by Sarah Begum offers 45 to 60 minute interviews with space guests with a particular emphasis on meditation and spirituality.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>SSPI</b></p><p>This weekly podcast by SSPI's Lou Zacharilla offers 25 to 50 minute interviews in their Better Satellite World series focusing on how satellites benefit life of Earth.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>TerraWatch Space</b></p><p>This every-other-week podcast by Aravind Ravichandran offers 30 to 75 minute interviews with guests to demystify space technology.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>The Diaries of Space Explorers</b></p><p>This weekly podcast by Gavin Tolometti offers 45 to 60 minute interviews with young professionals about their career journeys.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Total Space Network</b></p><p>This irregular but frequently published podcast by RichLB, Kage, and Mikko is new to me, but appears to include a collection of shows ranging from 10 to 75 minutes which provide overviews of space news and technology and includes interviews with guests.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Your Space Journey</b></p><p>This non-regular podcast by Chuck Fields offers roughly 20 minute podcasts with a variety of space guests.</p><p><br /></p><p>Do you have a favorite space podcast not yet featured on my 2020 and 2021 lists? Let me know in the comments. Happy listening!</p>Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-52066700026359308382021-03-26T14:00:00.001-04:002021-03-26T14:00:05.992-04:00A Day in the Life of a Space Consultant<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ygYkR0On1kQ/YF4biOe6lWI/AAAAAAAACrk/0d0Cgmty1rMxChlOexf9gS_5T7CnuI1EwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/A%2BDay%2Bin%2Bthe%2BLife%2Bof%2Ba%2BSpace%2BConsultant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ygYkR0On1kQ/YF4biOe6lWI/AAAAAAAACrk/0d0Cgmty1rMxChlOexf9gS_5T7CnuI1EwCNcBGAsYHQ/w426-h640/A%2BDay%2Bin%2Bthe%2BLife%2Bof%2Ba%2BSpace%2BConsultant.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>I'm sometimes asked what it's like being a space consultant and what I do on a daily basis. This question is difficult to answer because my work changes from day to day. I usually respond with something like, “I take care of my clients' needs, do my own internal research, and keep up with the space news and community.”</p><p><br /></p><p>I thought it might be helpful to document what I do on a typical day. I chose Wednesday, a relatively simple day of no meetings, no phone calls, and no deadlines. I do have days when I'm tied up on phone or video calls more often than not, but those aren't as fun to write about.</p><p><br /></p><p>I apologize for the length of this play-by-play. Due to the diversity of topics I cover in a typical day, it's unavoidable if I'm to accurately portray just how much I jump around in a typical day.</p><p><br /></p><p><b><u>Wednesday, March 24, 2021</u></b></p><p><br /></p><p>I have the luxury of sleeping in. I'm a night owl and my husband is a morning person, so he cares for the baby in the early morning, allowing me to get up and start work at my leisure. One of the first things I do is check on the status of the SpaceX Starlink launch. I wake up enough at night as it is with my two youngest children, I wasn't going to wake up at 4:28 AM my time for what is now an almost routine launch of satellites. Cheers, the launch was successful!</p><p><br /></p><p>I check email and listen to podcasts as I start my morning. I'm subscribed to many podcasts, most of them space-related. I listen to podcasts throughout the day when I'm cooking, cleaning, or doing simple labor. By the end of this day I've listened to 4 and a half podcast episodes.</p><p><br /></p><p>I catch up with my overnight and morning Twitter feed while listening to the rest of Tuesday's FAA Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee (COMSTAC) meeting which I wasn't able to listen to in its entirety yesterday. I click on any interesting space news articles to add to my “To Read” tab group for later.</p><p><br /></p><p>I pause Twitter scrolling and the meeting recording in order to read and respond to an email from one of my Generation Z interviewees for the second edition of my first book Rise of the Space Age Millennials. I plan to incorporate the voices of the younger generation in my book on space perspectives, motivations, and dreams. I'm nearly done with the interview process.</p><p><br /></p><p>While I'm in my email inbox, I start reading through various space-related newsletters. I'm subscribed to 4 daily space newsletters plus at least 11 weekly ones and a few monthly ones. I click on any interesting articles to read later.</p><p><br /></p><p>I make the painful decision to turn down a prospective client. I hate doing it, but the job wasn't the right fit for my business. I referred him to others. Thankfully, he takes it well.</p><p><br /></p><p>I send a couple quick emails to members of my sales team who I require updates from.</p><p><br /></p><p>With email done for now, I return to Twitter and the COMSTAC meeting. I turn my entire attention to COMSTAC for a moment to jot down an exact quote to use in the Astralytical blog article I'm writing about launch delays out of Cape Canaveral.</p><p><br /></p><p>I resign myself to doing required NASA SATERN training for IT security. I don't do this often, but I include it to emphasize that even a small business owner needs to do tedious stuff like this. One of my clients has a NASA contract that requires it. Thankfully they pay me for my time.</p><p><br /></p><p>The training takes longer than expected so I pause to make lunch for the kids and me. I finish the training over lunch. Then I take a half an hour break away from my computer to rest.</p><p><br /></p><p>Back to work! I do a math check for another client working on a NASA proposal on a timely subject. I don't talk about my clients and their work as a rule. But I can tell you my work for clients ranges from business-heavy such as due diligence for investors, science-heavy such as evaluating science proposals, and policy-heavy such as prioritizing national space directions.</p><p><br /></p><p>I review a draft cover letter for another client who is applying for a space industry job. Then I take another break.</p><p><br /></p><p>I email my client working on the proposal a few more times. Yes, much of my work involves email.</p><p><br /></p><p>I catch up with Twitter. Then I turn to my “To Read” tabs. First thing: an article with satellite images of that ship blocking the Suez Canal. An article about corporate responsibility in space. The details of that fabulous polarized image of a black hole. A contract to expand the Space Force's space objects library.</p><p><br /></p><p>Whew, a quick break. Then more reading. An article on NASA's Commercial LEO Development program following a NASA presentation I attended yesterday. I pause to do some cross-platform social media postings for my company about the topic.</p><p><br /></p><p>Back to the news. Relativity's 3D printing of its rocket second stage (with a neat video!). An interview with astronaut Kathy Sullivan. A few older articles I looked up on a proposed national spaceport authority that was discussed during the COMSTAC meeting.</p><p><br /></p><p>I look for an Aerospace Corporation report "A National Spaceport Strategy" published last year but can't find it. I ask my space community on Twitter if any of them know where I can find it.</p><p><br /></p><p>I take a quick break including checking my personal social media accounts. I read another space newsletter that just arrived in my inbox as well as other email.</p><p><br /></p><p>I read another article, this one about Astroscale's ELSA-d satellite deorbiting mission that just launched.</p><p><br /></p><p>I catch up with Twitter and pause to watch Emily Calandrelli's TikTok video on a piece of fabric from the Wright Brothers' plane on the Mars helicopter Ingenuity. </p><p><br /></p><p>I read an article on private astronaut training. This reminds me to write a follow-up email with an interview request to a private spaceflight facilitator for my upcoming book about space tourism and private spaceflight.</p><p><br /></p><p>A take another break. I read another incoming space newsletter. I read an article about a space recruiting agency. Then I visit individual space news websites to find any interesting news I missed. I read the first of a series of articles on the challenges of measuring the space economy.</p><p><br /></p><p>I catch up with Twitter. Then I read about a seal skin spacesuit by an Inuit artist (with a neat video), followed by an article about zodiacal light due to Mars dust. Yes, I read a lot. This is part of my job. I try to stay informed about as many thing space-related as possible.</p><p><br /></p><p>Another break. More Twitter. I read an document called Forecasting Future NASA Demand in Low-Earth Orbit from 2019 that was referenced in the NASA presentation yesterday.</p><p><br /></p><p>Not having received a response on Twitter, I send a quick email to Aerospace Corporation requesting the report about a national spaceport authority.</p><p><br /></p><p>I complete my analysis on Cape Canaveral Spaceport launch delays for the blog article I've been planning to write. This is a quick task because I've already collected the data, I just need to rearrange it and make the plot.</p><p><br /></p><p>I get responses back from the Aerospace Corporation by both Twitter and email saying the report is not publicly available. Oh well. I was just curious.</p><p><br /></p><p>I catch up with Twitter and take another break. If it seems I take a lot of breaks, it's because I have three small children. I'm not even mentioning breaks unless they're at least 3 minutes long.</p><p><br /></p><p>I begin writing the Cape Canaveral launch delays blog. I want to finish it before dinnertime, but I keep getting interrupted. Eventually the kids win and I stop work for the evening.</p><p><br /></p><p>Dinner, family time, cleaning, and kids dominate my evening. I get back on my computer just in time to watch the launch of the Arianespace Soyuz at 10:47 PM my time. I try to get the baby to go back to sleep as I read an article about space company exits and SPACS then another on a Cold War project to build a huge radio telescope in West Virginia.</p><p><br /></p><p>Finally, in the peace and quiet of the late night, I spend half an hour finishing writing the launch delays blog article. It just needs to be proofread before being published tomorrow morning. I end my day reading for pleasure, space-related yes, but science fiction.</p>Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-25428629735268453622021-01-15T10:46:00.008-05:002021-01-15T10:52:29.359-05:00Sprouting the Seed of a New Space Analytics Idea<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_dMwB0R0Ha4/YAG4Rf5hyUI/AAAAAAAACpE/eoLfaSnBEmoJL2Ebh9Vb-CalVR3VKghyQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1024/c-1024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_dMwB0R0Ha4/YAG4Rf5hyUI/AAAAAAAACpE/eoLfaSnBEmoJL2Ebh9Vb-CalVR3VKghyQCNcBGAsYHQ/w400-h225/c-1024.jpg" title="Sprouting the Seed of a New Space Analytics Idea" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: NASA</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Sometimes a seed of an idea takes extra long to sprout. When I started my company Astralytical five years ago, I knew I wanted to focus on analysis of the space industry. I had experience working at a now-quiescent space industry analysis company leading their analysis team. I knew I was good at it.</p><p><br /></p><p>But I didn't know quite how to achieve the kind of company I envisioned. In those early months of my young company, I experimented writing a short space policy report. But the result wasn't exactly what I was going for. In the following years, a few clients commissioned me to write reports on various space topics, diving deep into areas important to the clients' needs. But there's a difference between working on what someone else finds important versus working on what I find important.</p><p><br /></p><p>Two years ago, the nucleus of the idea for the <a href="https://www.astralytical.com/explore" target="_blank">Astralytical Explore: Flybys and Orbits</a> began to take shape. I worked with an intern and even hired an artist to create two prototypes. And it wasn't at all what I wanted. I accepted the monetary loss and scrapped the project. I needed to better understand what I hoped to achieve before I could create it.</p><p><br /></p><p>One thing that has always bothered me is the high expense of industry market reports. I remember reading my first report when I just started my first full-time job, written by a well known general market analysis company. It was... okay. Not great. Even very early into my job, I knew I could have written a better report. I knew the space industry better than they did. I wondered how much my employer paid for this commissioned report but I didn't ask.</p><p><br /></p><p>The shocker came when I was hired to write two reports for a client and learned how much they were selling the reports for. Let me tell you – these reports are overpriced. They only sell for thousands to tens of thousands of dollars because that's what others are willing to pay. But just because a report sells for $5,000 doesn't mean it's high-quality, accurate, or reliable. I was dismayed at the shoddiness of the process.</p><p><br /></p><p>I have two problems with the high-cost report model: 1) The price point of these market reports promotes an exclusive, elitist, gatekeeping element to the space industry which is the opposite of my viewpoint that space should be for everyone. 2) The price point also limits the readership of these reports to a very small number, so my work helps very few people. I didn't find it satisfying to work so hard for so long for my work to benefit almost no one.</p><p><br /></p><p>I kept all this in mind as I formulated the Astralytical Flybys and Orbits concept. Then it came to me: focus. I decided to focus these graphical mini-reports on bite-sized questions. Flybys consist of information and insights surrounding one question of interest. Orbits consist of multiple questions related to one hot topic.</p><p><br /></p><p>Because these are mini-reports, I could price them accordingly. Anyone can afford a Flyby. And the top-level insights are published for free in Astralytical blog articles. My work can be broadly assimilated by anyone and affordable to those who want to dive deeper. And for those with money to spend, an annual subscription is available to provide even more access to information.</p><p><br /></p><p>I'm so heartened to have gotten such overwhelming response to my first series on space tourism! This is a hot topic filled with headline-grabbing hype that was a big flashing target for me to tackle in a realistic, critical, hype-free way. I've had the idea of a space tourism report for four years now since I gave the idea to a former client who rejected it, then decided three years later to do it, but did it poorly. In fact, all space tourism reports I've ever come across have been unsatisfactory or laughable. It takes someone who knows the industry very well to do a great job with a report on any topic. I'm literally writing a book on space tourism and I'm excellent at my job. I'm so pleased my work (both the Astralytical Flybys and Orbit series and the upcoming book) will help people widely as they navigate this emerging field.</p><p><br /></p><p>Sometimes a delayed seed sprouts into a beautiful, healthy plant. I've already dived deep into the next Astralytical Flybys and Orbit topic: launch delays. In-space manufacturing is next. I've got a whole list of hot space topics I'm excited to dive into and release for anyone to read and understand. I look forward to contributing more to the understanding of these topics with a realistic, critical, hype-free eye. The space community needs it.</p>Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-59333481408435311952020-09-04T12:16:00.001-04:002020-09-04T15:09:48.989-04:00No Such Thing as a PhD Drop-out<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ed5cgDBaxYA/X1JoJbCSeGI/AAAAAAAACkY/H3HSquwYwQE2TS9UyXH7n1UC6cZ2-bMwwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1920/Black_Hood_back_1872x.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1872" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ed5cgDBaxYA/X1JoJbCSeGI/AAAAAAAACkY/H3HSquwYwQE2TS9UyXH7n1UC6cZ2-bMwwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Black_Hood_back_1872x.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I recently had a conversation with a
client about discerning a PhD program as a mid-level professional.
His major concern was the time commitment. Is it worth dedicating
several years, perhaps balancing a full-time job and a family, to
gain the credential and title Doctor?</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The answer really depends on one's
motivations for pursuing a PhD. Do you love the topic or research
area? Are you after that prestige? Are you wanting to further your
education? Are you needing the credential for a career path such as
professorship? Are you just not sure how to move forward and you
think a PhD would help, at least for now until your path become
clearer?</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">All of these motivations (and more) are
valid reasons for pursuing a PhD. There is popular advice out there
that you should not pursue a PhD unless you are truly passionate
about the subject matter. This is entirely false. Passion for a
certain topic is a great reason for pursuing a PhD. It is not the
only reason.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Many (if not most) people are not
head-over-heals in love with their PhD topic. That's okay. Most
graduate students do not choose their exact area of research and
instead are assigned a topic area by their professor, advisor, or
funding agency. Telling students they must have passion for a PhD is
setting up an ideal that is unattainable for most graduate students
and is a form of gatekeeping that signals to prospective students
that they don't belong. You do belong, even if you don't love your
PhD topic.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Whatever the reason one is considering
a PhD, the question remains: is it worth it? Only you can answer this
question for yourself. Only you know your dreams, goals, motivations,
and level of commitment to continue down this path. No one else can
make this decision for you.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">There are many benefits and moments of
exhilaration pursing a PhD and conducting independent research. There
are also many challenges and moments of despair. There are countless
stories of the mental health challenges graduate students face. A
prospective graduate student needs to consider the potential
negatives, challenges, and stressors of the path they are about to
embark on to be able to fully assess whether beginning this journey
is worth it to them.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Beginning a journey is not a promise to
end the journey the same way you intended when you began. Humans are
remarkably adaptable. We adjust as we travel along our paths,
learning new things about ourselves and the world. New opportunities
present themselves. We continually make choices about where and how
we spend our time and whether we're better off shifting our journeys
based on another path. We evolve.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Is a professor or advisor not working
out for you? It's okay to switch. Really, it is. I did it. It was a
painful, emotional decision that led to me losing the third year of
my NASA fellowship funds, but it's doable.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Is a lab, research group, department,
or university not working out for you? It's okay to switch. Again, I
did it. I completely changed from pursuing a PhD in astrophysics to a
PhD in planetary science, a related field, but different enough to
require a university change and extra courses. But it's okay to
change your mind and direction.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Once I got over the anxiety and
self-doubt about switching programs, I saw the benefits of my new
path. I was more sure about myself and what I wanted. My new graduate
advisor was a better fit for me than my previous one. My resume and
experience was impressive. I was viewed as a more mature graduate
students. Changing my mind and my path allowed me to experience
something new, something closer to what I wanted to do with my time
and labor.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Then came the most unexpected change of
path: “dropping out.” I am an all-but-dissertation PhD drop-out
twice over, not because I failed or was forced to leave, but because
I chose to leave. I chose a different path than the one I embarked on
when I began my graduate school journey. And I do not regret it. My
path was the correct one for me.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It all ties back to one's motivations.
My reasons for pursuing a PhD were met by literally pursuing the PhD,
not obtaining it. I was interested in the research areas I pursued. I
wanted to learn more. But I never needed the prestige or credential
of the PhD title or degree. I never wanted to be a professor. “You'll
change your mind,” I was told as a brand new graduate student,
already certain I didn't want to become a professor. No, I didn't
change my mind.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Because my motivation for pursuing a
PhD was to go down that path but not necessarily to complete it,
gaining the PhD became a secondary goal. When I unexpectedly received
a full-time job offer while I was working on my dissertation, I had a
choice to make. Do I complete the PhD or do I take the job? Can I do
both? Well, I tried to do both and failed. Some people could combine
paths, but I could not. I made a choice: to leave one job to focus on
another.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It sounds a bit different framing it
that way, doesn't it? Leaving one job for another. Graduate research
is a job, and a very underpaid and underappreciated one at that.
When we leave a job to pursue another opportunity or direction, do we
call it dropping out? No. Why is there a negative connotation leaving
a graduate student job but that negative connotation doesn't exist
when leaving almost any other job?</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Academia is known for its elitism. Many
professors (but not all) are convinced that their path is the
superior path and all other paths are seen as lessor. I've had
professors I know and professors I just met ask me when I'm
“returning” to complete my PhD, as if my graduate student labor
and knowledge up to that point was discounted because I didn't gain a
credential I don't need.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">What did I gain? I dived deep into
astrophysics and planetary science. I completed the physics
comprehensive exam, a multi-day written and oral exam on
graduate-level physics, the hardest exam of my life. I gained the
knowledge, satisfaction, and confidence that comes from passing such
a test. I know I know my stuff! I gained research and lab experience,
data analysis, programming, technical writing, public speaking, and
many other skills. I worked with colleagues and met new people,
networking and maturing in my field. I gained what I wanted from my
graduate school experience.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">When an experience gives us what we
wanted to gain based on our motivations for pursuing that experience,
it's okay to look forward to our next steps and shift our path
depending on what our motivations are. It's also okay to recognize
when an experience is not meeting your expectations and to change
your path accordingly. It's okay to leave. It's okay to try something
new. It's okay to get a different job than an academic job and reject
the stigma of “dropping out” or “leaving academia.”</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Back to my client. I gave him the
advice I wish I had received years ago when I was just starting out
on my PhD path: if this is the path you want to pursue for now,
pursue it for now. Don't feel obligated to commit x number of years
of your life to it. Don't feel obligated to finish it because of
someone else's expectation. This may be the best path for you now.
This may not be the best path for you later, and if so, you can
change your mind.</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I didn't drop out of my PhD. I pursued
a better path. And I'm better for it.</p>Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-21493121134051712192020-08-25T14:18:00.003-04:002020-08-25T15:32:53.896-04:00Choosing Motherhood on my Space Career Journey<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d6JxBBqcTtY/X0VTnZi_ZpI/AAAAAAAACj4/813WHVQTdswU6Dp1-eVJ-HuPJkWVdIUFQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Aurelia%2BBirth%2BAnnouncement.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1364" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d6JxBBqcTtY/X0VTnZi_ZpI/AAAAAAAACj4/813WHVQTdswU6Dp1-eVJ-HuPJkWVdIUFQCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/Aurelia%2BBirth%2BAnnouncement.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>When my first child was born, I posted a birth announcement on LinkedIn. I almost exclusively use LinkedIn for professional communications, but I felt something as monumental as becoming a mother was worth mentioning.</p><p><br /></p><p>An acquaintance didn’t think so. He sent me a message that I shouldn’t post such things on a professional platform. Others may not take me as seriously if I post about my personal life, if I write about being a mother.</p><p><br /></p><p>I took what he said to heart. Then I posted a birth announcement for my second child. Two weeks ago, my third child was born, and I proudly posted about her too. I no longer fear displaying my motherhood alongside my professional persona.</p><p><br /></p><p>Throughout my adulthood, I have been fiercely enthusiastic in my pursuit of a space career. I have been equally enthusiastic in my pursuit of family life. The former was more within my control than the latter. I was able to form my space career in my 20s. It took until my 30s to begin my family life. Both are vital parts of my identity, intertwined and essential to who I am.</p><p><br /></p><p>When I was in graduate school, I attended a space event where the mayor of a Florida Space Coast town struck up a conversation with me. The level of passion I had for my career surprised him. “Never marry and have kids,” he advised. In his limited view, doing so would be a detriment to my career and dampen my space passion.</p><p><br /></p><p>He didn’t know I was watching my friends marry and have children with envy, longing for the day when I could do the same. He couldn’t fathom that a woman could have both a successful career and a strong family life. Many men and some women are hung up on this reality, yet never wondering how men can be fathers and have successful careers.</p><p><br /></p><p>The coronavirus pandemic has changed much in our culture. With video calls becoming a new staple of our communications, we are seeing many colleagues and coworkers in their home environments. We are getting to know their pets and their kids. We are seeing them not just as professionals but also as whole people. We are thinking about our professional associates in a new way and becoming more accepting of who they are in their entirety. We are normalizing a fuller version of humanity.</p><p><br /></p><p>I was never shy about broadcasting my motherhood. Just days after giving birth, my firstborn accompanied me at a space industry event. I nursed her in a wrap while networking with space professionals. I have taken my first two babies to conferences, meetings, and lectures, even giving talks with baby in arms. My fortunate firstborn lived in Florida for the first few months of her life, meeting a few astronauts and seeing several rocket launches that she’ll never remember.</p><p><br /></p><p>I’ll never forget the young woman who approached me in the parking lot after that space event as I was nursing my 18-day-old baby. She thanked me for bringing my baby and for normalizing motherhood in a male-dominated industry. She was just the first. Many people since have thanked me for being a mother so publicly in my professional life. One man remarked that hearing baby sounds at a conference reminded him of life and why we do what we do.</p><p><br /></p><p>Space exploration provides a unique perspective on long-term thinking. We naturally think beyond our own lives and our own generation to what we can accomplish as a human species for decades and centuries and millennia to come. Our children, individually and collectively, represent this future. They are what we are working towards. They are who we are doing this for. They are the ones who will continue this effort after we are gone.</p><p><br /></p><p>One day, a descendant of mine will step foot on another planet. A descendant of mine will live on a deep space exploration vehicle. A descendant of mine will accomplish feats in the Universe unimaginable to us now.</p><p><br /></p><p>It starts with a baby. It continues with humanity going where no one has gone before.</p>Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-42285997912098423182020-07-31T14:51:00.002-04:002020-07-31T14:51:57.918-04:00Mentoring for a Better Space Career Journey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xLUCQc3luUI/XyRmnibGr6I/AAAAAAAACic/7MMnIOgZWXsIsHzMjkLYsI19iT15gnN1wCNcBGAsYHQ/s974/17492700_10100162939430245_7036012771682183256_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="974" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xLUCQc3luUI/XyRmnibGr6I/AAAAAAAACic/7MMnIOgZWXsIsHzMjkLYsI19iT15gnN1wCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/17492700_10100162939430245_7036012771682183256_o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In lieu of traveling this summer to events where I'd interact with students and young professionals just starting out in their space careers, this spring and summer I opened myself up to speak with as many students one-on-one as I could pro bono, focusing in particular on the <a href="http://www.brookeowensfellowship.org/" target="_blank">Brooke Owens Fellowship</a> and the <a href="https://www.matthewisakowitzfellowship.org/" target="_blank">Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship</a> recipients and finalists. As always, it's been such a rewarding experience to get to know these talented students.</div><div><br /></div><div>Back to high school and early undergraduate years, I was very curious about what it was really like to work in the space sector. I only had an outsider's perspective based on pop culture. I didn't know anyone who worked in space who could answer my questions or guide me. I was very fortunate to be able to job shadow scientists and engineers at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for a week when I was 16 which gave me glimpses into what a space career could be.</div><div><br /></div><div>It wasn't until later in undergrad when I began to meet more space professionals did I begin to start forming a true picture of what space careers look like. I knew very early on I did not want to be a professor, but I was very interested in being a research scientist at NASA. I was fortunate to begin meeting and getting involved in research, initially under professors.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then my big break came: my first NASA internship when I was 21. Surrounded by space professionals of all kinds and hearing guest lectures all summer, I truly began to see the diversity of career paths and professional experiences. I've been learning from others' experiences ever since.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking with students at any level reminds me of of those times when I was exploring career paths and trying to determine where I belonged. Most of the students I speak with are already very well informed and have their own space-related experiences to draw from. Many of these students are more experienced and knowledgeable than I was at their age. It can be humbling but also inspiring! The future is in good hands.</div><div><br /></div><div>Many students are uncertain whether they are allowed to reach out to professionals, whether they are too young or inexperienced to begin networking, or whether certain professionals are off-limits for them to communicate with. On all points, I try to reassure students that they can and should politely reach out to and learn from professionals whose work or career paths they're interested in. Not everyone will respond, but many are happy to answer student questions and speak about their work and career paths.</div><div><br /></div><div>Networking is one of the best things students and young professionals can do to discern their career choices and understand the industry or field they want to join or are in the early stages of navigating. I've recently had the pleasure of chatting with two high school students who were very mature, confident, and well-informed about space already because of the professionals they've already conversed with. The more networking one does, the more comfortable ones becomes networking. The key is to form mutually beneficial relationships with people over time.</div><div><br /></div><div>How can networking with students be beneficial for professionals? I get inspired by the students I interact with. I see their potential and in some cases are able to follow their progress as they explore opportunities and achieve successes. I admire much of the work they do and can learn from them. I'm thankful for their energy and enthusiasm. I see how they are changing the space sector and, in their own way, changing the world for the better. They give me hope. And I'm so proud they become my peers.</div><div><br /></div><div>Although I do not have the time I wish I had to mentor every student who reaches out to me, I gladly give the time I'm able to answering emails or having informational interview phone calls. As the summer semester winds down and my maternity slow-down period approaches, I'll have even less time in the coming months. Mentoring doesn't need to take a lot of time. It could be as simple as a few quick messages exchanged over the weeks, months, or years or having a catch-up call every now and again.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was asked by a student today about finding mentors. Many colleges/universities and professional organizations have formal mentoring programs that pair students with professionals. But mentoring doesn't need to be formal or structured. Informal mentors could be people who you admire and wish to emulate, whether in a career you want or not. They could be people you ask to mentor you or people who have no idea you see them as a mentor.</div><div><br /></div><div>Every step of my career journey to this day, I've had mentors, mostly informal. It truly helps to find people who inspire you along your career, who can guide you or answer your questions, who can introduce you to others and perhaps even champion you, who you know support you and your dreams. Find these people wherever they are. They are everywhere.</div><div><br /></div><div>If at any point you want formal <a href="https://www.astralytical.com/spacecareer" target="_blank">space career coaching</a>, I'm here for you, whether through a self-paced coaching course or one-on-one email or phone coaching. If coaching is too much for you, reach out to me anyway and I'll try to help in any way I can.</div>Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-80363246380771102162020-05-22T12:40:00.002-04:002020-05-22T12:40:21.565-04:00 Goodbye Space Shuttles, You Will Be Missed<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-syzLzwDLkbo/XsgARB7u6LI/AAAAAAAACfk/5Y0aWwBsP6EzYU5Ty3hUTyH-YFKfnKkpgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Atlantis%2B2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-syzLzwDLkbo/XsgARB7u6LI/AAAAAAAACfk/5Y0aWwBsP6EzYU5Ty3hUTyH-YFKfnKkpgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/Atlantis%2B2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Atlantis Exhibit, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">June 22, 2013</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br />Originally posted on July 8, 2011 in my personal journal, with minor edits.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">On Tuesday morning, I was phone interviewed by a reporter from Florida Today (same parent company as USA Today) doing a story on young people who have been inspired and influenced by the space shuttle program. I've gotten two other similar requests for interviews, but I had to turn them down because they're TV and sadly, I am not in Florida this week. At age 27, the Space Transportation System (STS, the space shuttle program) is all I've ever known of NASA human spaceflight. I've admired the Apollo V rocket, but I've never seen it in action with my own eyes, nor have I seen a Russian Soyuz rocket. My fondest memories of my first Space Camp days in the middle school Space Academy program were of participating in mock space shuttle missions to the International Space Station. Our camp teams were gather under Huntsville's test simulator the Space Shuttle Pathfinder and I would stare up at it in awe, wishing I could climb inside.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">My parents took me to see the a space shuttle launch at some point in the 80s. We were on a trip to Disney World and drove to the Cape to see the launch, but it was scrubbed. I don't remember this at all, but had it launched, it probably would have made a lasting impression with me. It was around that same time, third grade, when I wrote a short story for school about being an astronaut and going to the Moon.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">My first space shuttle launch experience didn't occur until my freshman year of college when I moved to the Space Coast. My first one was STS-112 Atlantis in October 2002, seen with a classmate along the side of a highway somewhere near Kennedy Space Center. I joined the student newspaper that semester and got the amazing opportunity to see STS-113 Endeavour from the KSC press site in November. That was a night launch, scrubbed the first night, but so worth returning! Night launches, appearing as artificial sunrise, are my favorite. Even better, I could share the experience with friends.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="386" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-bWghgKLROgM/Szg6kfe3D-I/AAAAAAAAFos/c3sLuXjf1VA/s400/01%252520STS-112%252520October%2525202002.JPG" style="font-size: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-height: 2048px; max-width: 100%; word-spacing: inherit;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STS-112 launch, October 7, 2002. Credit: me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="309" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-O1Z9LDXlxIk/Szg6kl9iT-I/AAAAAAAAFow/AjdZ6StxvIw/s400/02%252520STS-113%252520November%2525202002.jpg" style="font-size: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-height: 2048px; max-width: 100%; word-spacing: inherit;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STS-113 launch, November 24, 2002. Credit: me</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">The launch of STS-107 Columbia I saw from my car near campus in January 2003. I don't know why I didn't take the time to see it closer. I think that I took launches for granted at that point. This attitude was corrected on the morning of February 1, 2003, when I got the terrible news. My undergrad </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">alma mater</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;"> is very close to Kennedy Space Center, so the university as a whole was affected greatly. I was honored to meet some of the late astronauts' families during a dedication ceremony of the brand new Columbia Village dorms, seven buildings named for the seven astronauts, where I lived my sophomore year.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">As the new editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, I had the privilege of attending a press tour of the Orbital Processing Facility 1 where I got to stand very close to and under Atlantis. I've since had a number of these kinds of tours through NASA Academy and KSC Family Days, but the first one will always have a special place in my heart. Especially because on that tour I was “banned from NASA for life,” <a href="http://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2015/03/banned-from-nasa-for-life.html" target="_blank">but that's a different story</a>.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rIqW4jMGBms/Szg6k4GrEzI/AAAAAAAAFo0/ewzKbS8xQDQ/s400/03%252520KSC%252520OPF%252520Me%252520Under%252520Atlantis%252520September%2525202003.JPG" style="font-size: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-height: 2048px; max-width: 100%; word-spacing: inherit;" width="369" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me under Atlantis at KSC, September 2003</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">The Columbia accident delayed the return of space shuttle launches for years, but thanks to NASA Academy, I was able to visit Florida to see the return-to-flight STS-114 Discovery launch from the KSC Banana Creek VIP bleachers in July 2005. That was memorable especially because of the location, sitting in bleachers not far from First Lady Laura Bush with several secret service agents around.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-MaPZGf25kM4/Szg6mIu3laI/AAAAAAAAFo4/9iNMAKvctK0/s400/10%252520NASA%252520Academy%252520KSC%252520Discovery%252520on%252520Pad%252520Group%252520July%2525202005.JPG" style="font-size: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-height: 2048px; max-width: 100%; word-spacing: inherit;" width="268" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NASA Academy at MSFC cohort in front of Discovery, July 2005. I'm in the red shirt.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JB53ZfGWbUs/Szg6miq02XI/AAAAAAAAFo8/wx5kJyFNkkg/s400/11%252520NASA%252520Academy%252520KSC%252520Discovery%252520STS-114%252520Launch%252520July%2525202005.JPG" style="font-size: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-height: 2048px; max-width: 100%; word-spacing: inherit;" width="267" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STS-114 launch, July 26, 2005. Credit: me</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Again because of foam problems, launches were long delayed after that, but again because of NASA Academy I was able to see the second Discovery return-to-flight on July 4, 2006. In my limited experience, the top of a mobile launch platform set up next to the Vehicle Assembly Building was the best place I've ever seen a launch from, very close to the pad and eyesight over the tree-line.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="267" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-do4GbLV9I5c/Szg6kNUjm7I/AAAAAAAAFoo/zQW1Ti0oHSc/s400/18%252520Florida%252520Space%252520Shuttle%252520Discovery%252520Launch%252520%252520closeup%2525207-4-06.jpg" style="font-size: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-height: 2048px; max-width: 100%; word-spacing: inherit;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STS-121 launch, July 4, 2006. Credit: me</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Living in Alabama for three and a half years put a damper on my in-person space shuttle viewing. It wasn't until I moved back to central Florida a year and a half ago that I was able to experience the wonder with my own eyes again. The first launch I saw after moving back was STS-130 Endeavour in February 2010. Unfortunately, my camera was locked in my car and I did not feel like fetching it, so all I have is the memory. I did get to see Endeavour close up before launch, which was cool. For STS-132 Atlantis in May, I spent hours waiting at Space View Park to catch a glimpse; not the best spot, but still beautiful.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CZAYQwVDa2M/S1utJVMe3mI/AAAAAAAAF3U/z0ngSLfE8xk/s400/IMG_0506.JPG" style="font-size: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-height: 2048px; max-width: 100%; word-spacing: inherit;" width="267" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me in front of Endeavour, January 23, 2010</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="267" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2M0yx05gweY/S-66JV2BF3I/AAAAAAAAGI4/DyLJXQpFzG8/s400/IMG_0825.JPG" style="font-size: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-height: 2048px; max-width: 100%; word-spacing: inherit;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STS-132 launch, May 14, 2010. Credit: me</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Thanks to a friend, I saw STS-133 Discovery launch from the Astronaut Hall of Fame in February of this year. Electrical lines got in the way of a perfect view, but it was still neat to see it from a different location.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="267" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9goGk4oRccw/TJ6F6lrXqAI/AAAAAAAAGck/yPYNnPc9gr0/s400/IMG_1322.JPG" style="font-size: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-height: 2048px; max-width: 100%; word-spacing: inherit;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Discovery on the pad, September 25, 2010. Credit: me</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="265" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-MYyCRiQd1Ug/TWcpHyyF77I/AAAAAAAAG5o/4sPNZab46GI/s400/IMG_2055.JPG" style="font-size: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-height: 2048px; max-width: 100%; word-spacing: inherit;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STS-133 launch, February 24, 2011. Credit: me</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">I don't know how many people have seen a space shuttle cake launch, but thanks to a friend, I got an excellent view of the one and only Cake Boss space shuttle cake fire up and ascend (with the help of pyrotechnics and a mechanical structure) at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in April.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6EWuV08Ys1I/TaUIhYRquxI/AAAAAAAAHTE/4X1ueY8UgAg/s400/IMG_2303.JPG" style="font-size: inherit; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-height: 2048px; max-width: 100%; word-spacing: inherit;" width="267" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;">Space Shuttle Program 30th Anniversary Celebration, April 12, 2011. Credit: me</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">May's STS-134 Endeavour launch I attempted to see from Orlando so I wouldn't risk missing my flight later that day. Unfortunately, cloud cover made that impossible, but I tried. An unfortunate conflict in scheduling holds me here in Pennsylvania visiting family while the very last space shuttle launch, STS-135 Atlantis, lifted off beautifully this morning. I cried, of course. I pray and cry watching every space shuttle launch. It's so beautiful, so powerful, so emotional. Godspeed, Atlantis, and please come home safely.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">News coverage has been fantastic. I love the positive attention that NASA is getting, and I'm pleased that the news media is trying to educated the general public about the space industry. However, I'm dismayed by all of the remarks about "the end of NASA" or "the end of the space program." Neither is true. NASA will go on, the space program will go on, human space exploration will go on.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">Poor leadership has caused a gap in NASA human space transportation. This will be a very hard transition over the next few years, especially hard for those who will lose or have lost their jobs. But NASA's next space vehicle is in the works, and in the meantime, private space companies are developing their own rockets and spaceplanes to take crew and cargo into suborbital and orbital space.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px;">As much as I love the space shuttle program, I agree with the decision to retire it and move on. I want humankind to return to exploring the solar system. I want us to eventually get to the point where we can live, work, and make money in space and on other planetary bodies. I believe that this is essential, and I will do everything in my power to do my part to make that happen.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-So-U0-6HBvg/TJ-TPCdwRqI/AAAAAAAAGc8/2lsr1ioHT-A/s400/IMG_3511.JPG" style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333px; height: auto; line-height: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-height: 2048px; max-width: 100%; text-align: -webkit-center;" width="265" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pursuing my astronaut dreams at KSC, September 25, 2010</td></tr>
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Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-88629018374814947992020-05-01T10:28:00.001-04:002020-05-01T10:30:42.988-04:00Pursuing Your Space Career Dream as a Non-US-Citizen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C24H_DbQM80/XqwxTs8wG-I/AAAAAAAACeg/bx_zGemiDeIeY1t_m_Go_F4RmCmC_wiPwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Space%2BCareer%2Bnon%2Bcitizen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="1368" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C24H_DbQM80/XqwxTs8wG-I/AAAAAAAACeg/bx_zGemiDeIeY1t_m_Go_F4RmCmC_wiPwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/Space%2BCareer%2Bnon%2Bcitizen.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This is part 4 in a 4-part series.
Click <a href="http://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/04/discovering-your-true-space-career-path.html" target="_blank">here for part 1</a>, <a href="http://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/04/students-tips-for-progressing-your.html" target="_blank">here for part 2</a>, and <a href="http://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/04/enter-space-sector-from-any-industry-or.html" target="_blank">here for part 3</a>.</div>
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“I want to work in the space industry
in the US but I’m not a US citizen. What can I do?”</div>
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I get this question a lot from students
and professionals from all around the world. I still don’t have the
best answer for them. I can sense their eagerness to get involved in
an industry we love and their frustration at the barriers. It’s
especially heartbreaking to hear from non-citizen students studying
in the US who want to find a space job and stay, but can’t.</div>
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Two years ago, I was quoted in the
Orlando Sentinel saying, “It's really frustrating. These were
students who came to the U.S., were trained here. So we spend the
resources, the time to train people in highly educated, high
in-demand fields, and then they take that and leave.”</div>
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In most cases, they don’t want to
leave. Without a job, they have no choice.</div>
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First, some basics. People around the
world dream of working for NASA. As a federal government agency, only
US citizens can be employed as civil servants at NASA. I know of many
NASA employees who became US citizens at some point in their career
journeys and now work for NASA.</div>
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NASA employs many more contractors than
civil servants. These contractors are small and large businesses,
suppliers, service providers, universities, and nonprofits. These
contractors work at NASA centers and facilities or on NASA projects
at their employer’s facilities. I’ve never been a NASA civil
servant but I have worked as a contractor or subcontractor at 3 NASA
centers.</div>
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Citizenship requirements are set by the
contractor. Many require US citizenship, especially engineering
positions that are restricted by the International Traffic in Arms
Regulations (ITAR). But some contractors do not require US
citizenship. Universities and research-focused nonprofits are most
open to hiring internationally.</div>
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Many commercial space companies in the
US are restricted by ITAR as to who they can hire. Some of the larger
companies with international offices and partnerships may have
procedures in place to hire non-US-citizens. Some smaller companies
may also hire non-US-citizens if they have no reason to restrict
their hiring or if they have ties to another country.</div>
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For example, Rocket Lab is an American
company with a subsidiary company and significant operations in New
Zealand. They have strict citizenship requirements for US-based jobs
but more open citizenship requirements for NZ-based jobs.</div>
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Consider your home country and
surrounding countries. Are there opportunities to get involved in
space closer to home which can help you get your foot in the door in
the industry? You may find the space career you seek without having
to leave your own country or the surrounding region. Or you may find
it easier to move around from location to location once you are
already working in the industry, building experience, and making
connections.</div>
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Another option, open to some, is to
become a student in the US. This is becoming a more difficult route
to take, but if you have the ability to study in a US university with
the proper paperwork, you can go down the path of finding a company
to help sponsor your green card and give you time to become a
citizen. But this brings me full circle back to my quote in the
Orlando Sentinel – it’s difficult to find a space job willing to
hire a non-citizen student or recent graduate.</div>
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Another option, which I generally don’t
recommend, is to obtain a non-space job in the US in order to become
a US citizen. This would then allow you to more easily find a space
job in the future. In <a href="http://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/04/enter-space-sector-from-any-industry-or.html" target="_blank">part 3</a> of this series, I describe how to switch
from another industry to the space sector.</div>
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Please know there may be many
places around the world where you can pursue your space career. Some
countries have rich histories in space and some newer players have
fast-growing space sectors. You may be able to pursue your space
career in unexpected places.</div>
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As always, please feel free to reach
out to me with any questions or if I can assist you. <a href="https://www.astralytical.com/spacecareer" target="_blank">You can learn more about my space career coaching services and the Your Space Career Journey courses at Astralytical.</a></div>
Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-65432867387891058122020-04-30T10:25:00.000-04:002020-05-01T10:29:14.269-04:00Enter the Space Sector from Any Industry or Background - It's Never Too Late!<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MsN24aUg4q4/XqrfN3Cl-wI/AAAAAAAACeI/dPSwAhXyio4PvJmKofgK7Ql8DkCnOfhdwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Switching%2Bto%2BSpace%2BSector.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1361" data-original-width="1600" height="340" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MsN24aUg4q4/XqrfN3Cl-wI/AAAAAAAACeI/dPSwAhXyio4PvJmKofgK7Ql8DkCnOfhdwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/Switching%2Bto%2BSpace%2BSector.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is part 3 in a 4-part series.
Click <a href="https://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/04/discovering-your-true-space-career-path.html" target="_blank">here for part 1</a> and <a href="https://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/04/students-tips-for-progressing-your.html" target="_blank">here for part 2</a>.</div>
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So many people dream of doing
space-related work! Some are inspired by the stars as kids but don’t
know how to accomplish that dream or never knew it was an option for
them. Some pursue space-related studies in higher education but go
off into other industries after they graduate. Some never really
thought about space until later in their careers when they learn
about the exciting work being done by SpaceX and others.</div>
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The majority of my space career
coaching clients are mid-level professionals who fall under those
three categories. Whether they’ve had a childhood love of space or
have been inspired recently, they aren’t sure how to pursue a space
career with their background and experience. Some have technical
backgrounds. Some do not. Some have closely related backgrounds such
as software engineering. Some have “non-traditional” backgrounds
such as philosophy.</div>
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(Side note: one of my space mentors in
my early career has a philosophy degree. People in the space sector
come from all kinds of backgrounds. See part 1 of this blog series
about space being multidisciplinary.)</div>
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One thing many of my professional
coaching clients have in common is a lack of confidence. Many believe
they cannot enter the space sector with their current skills and
therefore must obtain another degree. Others believe they must only
apply for entry-level jobs even though they have many years of
experience in their previous line of work. Others wonder if they have
what it takes to enter the space industry at all. Space has an
unfortunate reputation of being an exclusive field for
math-and-science geniuses (and while they do exist, this is not the
majority of the space workforce, I assure you).</div>
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For some mid-level professionals who
want to make a switch to a space career, additional education is a
good idea. This is especially true in the sciences which have a more
structured educational hierarchy and stricter educational
requirements. One does not need a PhD to be a scientist, but it is
close to impossible to obtain a professorship or become a principle
investigator of a scientific mission without one.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In other cases, additional education
can give professionals from a very different background the
knowledge, skills, credentials, and confidence to pursue a completely
different space-related background. Some of my clients choose to
return to school at traditional universities or space-focused
programs such as International Space University.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In other cases, citizens of one country
who wish to move to another country with more space-related job
opportunities choose to do so by first becoming a student in that
country. Some of my clients have chosen to become students in the
United States, Canada, and select European countries in order to
better align themselves with the legal paperwork and the connections
to continue working in that country after they graduate. More on
international space jobs and opportunities in part 4 of this series.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Professionals with full-time jobs,
family responsibilities, and/or financial contrasts may find it
difficult to become a student again. The choice to pursue additional
education is not an easy one. I never discourage anyone from pursuing
additional education if they wish to, but a lot of the time, it’s
not necessary.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Instead, I advise focusing on
transferable skills. We all have them. If you strip down your
experience and skills to their very basic form, they can apply to
many jobs and industries.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
An engineer in a non-space industry
already possesses many of the skills needed to become an engineer in
the space industry. A writer in a non-space industry can write and
communicate in so many different ways within the space sector from
technical writing to journalism to education & public outreach
(EPO). Many of the space lawyers I know gained experience in other
areas of law before switching over to space. I still don’t
understand what an enterprise architect is (sorry Eric!), but my lack
of knowledge didn’t prevent him from pursuing space-related
businesses.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Try this exercise: briefly write the
job description for your current work as you’d do for a resume. Now
remove any industry-specific jargon so it can be read by a general
audience of any background. Now remove any reference to your
employer, your industry, or industry-specific programs or projects.
Write your job description as if a reader could not guess at which
industry you’re in. Just the basics: your basic skills, your basic
duties, your basic accomplishments.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once you strip your experience down to
its basics, you can begin to fill it back up. Can you picture how
you’d use those basic skills in a space-related job? Can you see
how you could convince someone that even though you don’t have any
direct experience working in the space sector, you have the basic
skills to do so?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Calibrated and tested
instrumentation to obtain peak performance.” Could be applicable to
a space job.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Coordinated with multiple teams to
create master plans and documentation.” Could be applicable to a
space job.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Created software to automate remote
hardware.” Definitely applicable to a space job.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don’t recommend actually describing
your current work this way. This exercise is to help you consider how
your skills can translate to a job within the space sector. Once you
make these connections for yourself, it will be easier to describe
these connections to others. And it may give you confidence to know
you do belong in space no matter your background.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Going back to <a href="https://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/04/discovering-your-true-space-career-path.html" target="_blank">part 1</a> of this series,
please remember the space sector needs all kinds of people from all
kinds of backgrounds. HR, finances, acquisitions, contracts,
security, general council, communications, and art don’t sound very
spacey, but they are very much needed.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It some situations, depending on
willingness and ability, it can help to pursue space-related projects
and activities outside of a full-time job or education. This could be
a general or professional space-related club or society. This could
be space-related online forums and websites. This could be blogging
and informal science communication. This could be collaborations and
working groups. In some rare cases, this could even be a part-time
space-related job, gig, freelancing, or start-up.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In many cases, a local stargazing or
planetarium group, model rocket club, or local chapter of a larger
organization such as the National Space Society, Planetary Society,
or AIAA are most accessible. Even in this unusual time when most
in-person gatherings are canceled, getting involved online is a
possibility.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Pursuing space-related side activities
is a great way to gain knowledge and learn more about space
happenings, network with new space-interested connections (and
perhaps make new friends), and maybe even gain hands-on experience
with telescopes, rocketry, or advocacy.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Whatever you do, don’t give up on
your dream. Your goals may evolve over time as you discover new
opportunities and learn more about the space sector. It may take you
months or years to break into the space sector. But if you give up
entirely, you’ll never know how you may have finally reached your
dream to work in space.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As always, please feel free to reach
out to me with any questions or if I can assist you. <a href="https://www.astralytical.com/spacecareer" target="_blank">You can learn more about my space career coaching services and the Your Space Career Journey for Professionals course at Astralytical.</a></div>
<br />Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-31682930830503778162020-04-29T09:49:00.000-04:002020-04-30T23:47:45.888-04:00Students: Tips for Progressing Your Space Career through Online Networking<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yDgd2H9Qypc/XqmE2s7sv_I/AAAAAAAACd8/T6T0Q6fQ2zYt9G5EfB_MmKvP-BlhRdl7QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Students%2BOnline%2BNetworking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1474" data-original-width="1474" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yDgd2H9Qypc/XqmE2s7sv_I/AAAAAAAACd8/T6T0Q6fQ2zYt9G5EfB_MmKvP-BlhRdl7QCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/Students%2BOnline%2BNetworking.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is part 2 in a four-part series.
<a href="https://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/04/discovering-your-true-space-career-path.html" target="_blank">Click here for part 1.</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Students, I am so sorry this is such a
rough time for you. I can’t even imagine what you are going through
taking classes online unexpectedly, trying to figure out what’s
going on with summer internships or scrambling to find something to
do this summer after canceled opportunities, being away from your
labs or hands-on work, and distance-graduating while trying to find a
job in this economy. The closest experience I had was watching
friends lose jobs or fail to find jobs during the 2008 recession,
which is not even close to what’s happening right now.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you are earlier in your studies, you
likely have time to ride this out. No one will fault you for not
having an internship this summer. No one should fault you for lower
grades during this time. If you need to take time off from your
studies, this situation is a valid reason. Just do your best in this
challenging time. No one can ask more from you than that.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you’re about to graduate and
you’re seeking a job or you were really hoping to gain internship
experience this summer to build up your experience, again, I’m so
sorry. Although there are relatively few opportunities and a lot of
laid off and furloughed employees, I have seen some job postings in
the past few weeks. Some of the larger space contractors are hiring
all over the US. Some smaller companies are hiring as well, not many,
but you may be able to find some opportunities.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A lot the advice I typically give to
students doesn’t apply during a global health crisis. I wrote the
content for the recently released <a href="https://www.astralytical.com/spacecareer" target="_blank">Your Space Career Journey courses</a>
back in September and October before COVID-19 existed. In it, I spend
a lot of time discussing in-person networking at events, meetings,
and conferences. I also describe the process of setting up an
informational interview, which is typically conducted in person. I
also typically advise seeking out internships and some good ways of
finding job opportunities, a process that may be difficult and
painful at the moment as companies pull back.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But a lot of the advice I give in the
courses and in my space career coaching applies now more than ever.
While we’re all physically isolated from each other, the
willingness and ability to network online is more important now than
ever. Informational interviews can be conducted over the phone or via
video chat. Some open positions are transitioning to remote work. And
the space industry is still moving forward. There may be
opportunities that are created tomorrow that don’t exist today.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Students are in a unique stage of life
in which many professionals are very willing to assist you. If you
have a question about their work, if you want to know more about
their career path, or if you’re seeking an opportunity to get
involved, many professionals are willing to take the time to assist
if they can. Not everyone will respond, of course. Not everyone is
willing or able to assist you in the way you’d like. But sometimes,
messaging can really help.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I get a lot of messages from students
that follow this format:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>“Hello. I am a student/recent
graduate in aerospace engineering. I am seeking a full-time job in
aerospace. Do you know of any openings? Thank you.”</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I usually ignore messages like this or
reply with a short, “It’s nice to connect with you,” because
there’s really not much these students are giving me to work with
to help them or further the conversation. Students, please let me
help you rewrite this message so it’s better received and more
useful for the recipient and for you.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
First, this message does some things
well. It’s brief, it includes an introduction, and it’s polite.
Those are key when networking with any acquaintance or new
connection.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Keep your message brief</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Introduce yourself</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Be polite. Conclude by thanking the
recipient.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don’t demonstrate it in these
message examples, but it’s also important to use proper titles or
honorifics (Dr., Professor, etc.), err on the side of formal, and use
gender-neutral language (do not call everyone sir).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But how could this message be rewritten
to be even better?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Include more information about you and
your goals. “Aerospace engineering” or whatever field you majored
in is broad. What specifically interests you? What area or subfield
would you like to pursue or learn more about? What kind of job are
you seeking or would like to learn more about?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Double-check the background of the
person you’re sending a message to. Are they the best person to
help you in that pursuit, or are you contacting them for another
reason? Target your messages appropriately. If you’re contacting me
about nuclear propulsion jobs, I can’t help you much more than
Google can.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Read up on the person you’re
contacting. This is particularly easy if you’re contacting someone
on LinkedIn because you have access to their profile with a click. If
they are associated with a university, they likely have a university
website or biography. If you can’t find much about them, Google
them. You only need to spend a few minutes reading up on their
background and expertise, but be sure to take that time. Do not
contact someone asking them what they do when you can find that
information for yourself in minutes. This also will help you to
consider how this person can help you before you compose your message
to them.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ask them for something reasonable. It
could be a question about their job, research, company, or field. It
could be about their background or career path. It could be for
specific advice (more along the lines of, “Do you know of any
professional societies I should get involved with?” than a more
general, “Do you have any advice for me?”). It could be a request
for an informational interview (via phone or video chat for now). By
asking them something specific, they immediately know how they can
respond to your message.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Whatever you ask them, be reasonable.
It shouldn’t be a request for a job in most cases. Most people
don’t have the ability to hire, and even if they do, proceed with
caution. Don’t ask for something deeply involved or time-intensive.
Remember, they don’t owe you anything, not even a response.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Let’s return to our sample message
and rewrite it for the better. The following messages are entirely
fictional.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>“Hello. My name is Alex. I’m about
to graduate with a aerospace engineering degree from Georgia Tech
with an interest in hypersonics. I completed a senior design project
designing a hypersonic engine. I noticed you live in Atlanta. Could
you help connect me with companies in the area doing this research?
Thank you.”</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Even though my background isn’t in
hypersonics, I would still immediately know how to help Alex because
I know the aerospace companies in my area. I also happen to know the
executives in companies that may be a good match for Alex. It would
only take me a few seconds to reply to the message with the names of
those companies. Or, if I felt it was appropriate, it would only take
a few minutes to make introductions to CEOs or relevant employees
within those companies.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Or the message could be:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>“Hello. My name is Casey. I’m a
junior in aerospace engineering with an interest in International
Space Station payload design. Given your background working on ISS
experiments, would you be able to recommend any companies involved in
creating payload designs for experiments? Or do you know who at NASA
works on payload design? Thank you.”</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Casey read up on my background, took
note of one of my previous jobs, and is asking me a very direct
question: the name of companies or the name of NASA individuals
involved in ISS payload design. I may or may not be able to help, but
at least I know exactly how I can help.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Or, it could be this message:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>“Hello. My name is Kay. Thank you so
much for writing this blog! I’m an English major and I’ve always
had an interest in space. Do you know of any resources on science
communication and how I could get involved? Thank you.”</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In this case, I know a lot of space
communicators and I’d refer Kay to a few blogs, websites, and the
names of individuals. It might take me a little longer to gather
together a good list, but it’s not a lot of effort to encourage
someone’s pursuits.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In <a href="https://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/04/discovering-your-true-space-career-path.html" target="_blank">part 1</a> of this blog series, I
emphasize that anyone can pursue a space career. Scientists,
engineers, and yes, even English majors. I know several!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Although now is a challenging time for
many students and recent graduates, it can also be a good time to try
to build a space network online. We’re all online these days! In
addition to direct messaging via email or LinkedIn, there are also
great ways to connect and network on social media and space-related
websites and forums. You could also ask existing connections
(professors and colleagues) for recommendations on who to contact and
even ask them to make introductions for you if they’re willing.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to
me if you have any questions or if I can be of any assistance to you.
<a href="https://www.astralytical.com/spacecareer" target="_blank">You can learn more about my space career coaching services and the Your Space Career Journey for Students and Early Career Professionals course at Astralytical.</a></div>
<br />
This is part 2 of a four-part series. <a href="http://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/04/enter-space-sector-from-any-industry-or.html" target="_blank">Click here for part 3.</a>Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-39155055198898587582020-04-28T10:41:00.000-04:002020-04-29T09:50:03.534-04:00Discovering Your True Space Career Path No Matter Your Background<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nWF1zkQ0yog/Xqg_cxQS-aI/AAAAAAAACdw/nvYloHSkCc8K8CJTtsGMNmVyS0MRkg7EQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Discovering%2BYour%2BTrue%2BSpace%2BCareer%2BBackground.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1252" data-original-width="1252" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nWF1zkQ0yog/Xqg_cxQS-aI/AAAAAAAACdw/nvYloHSkCc8K8CJTtsGMNmVyS0MRkg7EQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/Discovering%2BYour%2BTrue%2BSpace%2BCareer%2BBackground.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
“You need to be an engineering major
to apply for an internship at NASA.”<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“You shouldn’t go to grad school
because there are too many grad students and not enough jobs for
them.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“You need to go to grad school to
become a scientist.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“You may not think you want to become
a professor, but you’ll change your mind.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“You should drop out of your PhD
program and get an MBA instead.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“You don’t want to be a scientist.
You just like the idea of becoming a scientist. You don’t belong
here.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“You don’t have enough experience
to start your own consulting company.”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“Why don’t you quit building your
own company and return to academia?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is some of the bad advice I got
over the course of my career in the space sector. I’m sure you’ve
gotten bad advice along your way, too. Discouraging advice. Wrong
advice for your situation. People who assume they know your goals
better than you do. People who only know their own corner of the
world and just aren’t aware of the possibilities out there that
might be a better fit for you.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Throughout my career as a high school
and university student and early career professional, the big
questions I kept returning to were, “What’s it really like to do
__ job? How do I pursue __ job? Am I on the right track?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I began mentoring students when I was
in graduate school, answering their questions and guiding them as
best I could. Over the years, I became more frustrated that I could
only spend a short amount of time with each student. A quick
conversation or two wasn’t enough to really dive deep into the
lives, goals, and struggled of these individuals.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I hired a career coach when I felt
stuck in my first full-time job. I felt like a caged bird yearning to
soar freely. I knew I was capable of more than my employer was
allowing me to do. Although my coach didn’t know anything about the
space sector, she helped guide me along me path to becoming a manager
in a space startup in my next job.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Curiously, there were no career coaches
specializing in the space sector. I could have really used a coach to
help me through such a specialized and misunderstood sector! A year
into starting my space consulting company, I added space career
coaching as a service as a way to give back to the community. A
couple of other space-related coaching services have popped up since
then, a sign of a growing space sector.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Surprisingly, in the three years I’ve
been coaching individuals along their space careers, I’ve learned
the greatest demand for my services has been not from students but
from established professionals in other industries who want to switch
to a career in space. Whether they always wanted to work in space or
their interest is a more recent development, these professionals are
seeking guidance on how to break into the field. The majority of my
coaching clients have been mid-level professionals wanting to pursue
their dreams.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I’m so excited to share a project
I’ve been working on in the background for the past seven months:
two online, self-paced space careers courses. One is tailored for
university students and recent graduates and one is tailored for
mid-level professionals. In these 50-some page workbooks and 90+
minute videos, I share much of the experience, advice, and questions
I’ve worked through with my space career coaching clients. I also
ask the individual to work through a number of exercises to focus on
introspection, do some research, and take actions to move their space
career pursuits forward.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In this blog series, I’ll be sharing
some general advice for pursuing a space career. I’ll go over some
basics of identifying the type of job you truly want, searching for
potential employers and jobs, networking (online!), messaging, and
more.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The main message I want to leave you
with today: space is for everyone. Are you an aerospace engineer?
Great! Are you a scientist? Great! Do you have a technical
background? Great! Do you not have any technical background at all?
Great! Space is still for you.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The space sector is truly
interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary. It touches on so many
industries and fields of study. People of all backgrounds and skills
are needed.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It would be impossible for me to list
all of the fields one could study in university in order to pursue a
space career. Take a look at your university’s degree offerings. Do
you see all those majors? Every one of them could apply to space.
Don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t pursue a space
career because you don’t have a certain degree or background.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Similarly, you do not need a certain
skill set to work in the space sector. Love math? Great! Math isn’t
your thing? That’s fine too! If everyone had the same skills,
important jobs would not be able to be accomplished and the space
sector would be weak from the lack of different perspectives and
abilities.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As recently as two weeks ago, I had to
push back on a science communicator who recommended everyone pursuing
a space career should learn computer programming. I was also given
this advice when I was an undergraduate astrophysics major. Computer
programming is a great skill to learn! It’s also not at all
essential. If you love it, great. If you’re like me and run far
away from coding, that’s fine too. Honestly, if I had allowed
myself to obtain a job that required programming, I’d be miserable
and I wouldn’t have the space career I have today. Be true to
yourself. Ignore even well-meaning advice that doesn’t feel true to
you and your goals.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Return tomorrow for part 2 in which I
dive into some specific advice covered in the Astralytical space
career courses!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.astralytical.com/spacecareer" target="_blank">Learn more about Astralytical's space career courses and coaching services.</a></div>
<br />
This is part 1 of a four-part series. <a href="https://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/04/students-tips-for-progressing-your.html" target="_blank">Click here for part 2.</a>Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-63436114793242444472020-04-08T13:29:00.000-04:002020-04-08T13:29:04.537-04:00Rise Above Today's Challenges to a Better Tomorrow in Space<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6y-dSZimm0Q/Xo4EX71JXvI/AAAAAAAACcg/ReA9ND43_JgWKnqcFZ24DOKrIgJnkJungCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Rise%2BAbove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="356" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6y-dSZimm0Q/Xo4EX71JXvI/AAAAAAAACcg/ReA9ND43_JgWKnqcFZ24DOKrIgJnkJungCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Rise%2BAbove.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
These past few weeks, I’ve been
dedicating more of my time to audio and video recording and editing.
This includes creating the audiobook version of my book <a href="https://www.astralytical.com/rise-of-the-space-age-millennials" target="_blank">Rise of the Space Age Millennials</a>. Because I live with three other humans, two of
them very energetic and noisy, I can only record late at night after
others have gone to bed so I can achieve the necessary quiet to
hopefully pass Audible’s quality standards.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(Tip to authors who plan to release an
audiobook: consider recording it before you release the paper and
ebook versions of your book. It’s embarrassing how many typos I’m
discovering even after reading the book aloud to myself previously
and passing it by an editor. A second paper edition of my book might
be in order!)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The last chapter of my book, How Far
We’ll Soar, provides an outlook on the hopes and dreams of
millennials working in or studying to work in the space sector. From
the first footsteps on Mars to private space stations to discovering
life on exoplanets, millennials have high hopes for the future.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
That was before the coronavirus
SARS-CoV-2 infected the world, locked many of us in our homes, and
disrupted work in all industries, including the space industry.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
A few days ago I conducted an informal
poll on Twitter asking when NASA will achieve its first human lunar
return in its Artemis program, currently still officially scheduled
for 2024. With 265 respondents, 88% predicted 2026 or later. Some
commented doubting whether, in our current times with our current
financial and political priorities, NASA would return humans to the
Moon at all, let alone go on to Mars and do the other things.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I haven’t yet narrated and recorded
the last chapter of Rise of the Space Age Millennials, but I have
recently recorded the second chapter, Why We Boldly Go. I asked
millennials why we humans explore space. Opinions are varied, but one
concept kept coming up again and again: we are explorers. Exploring
is in our nature. No matter the challenges needed to climb the
mountain, we will climb it, because it’s there, and that’s just
who we are.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We rise. We are a people who rise to
challenges, who rise above the confines of Earth that pull us down.
We see the horizon, the distant lands containing the unknown,
and we want to know. We need to know. And so, we go. And eventually,
we take all of humanity with us.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I recently read Carl Sagan’s book
Contact for the first time after seeing the movie many times since
childhood. Very few things could ever unite a diverse, conflicted
planet of nations. In Carl Sagan’s view, the puzzle of an
extraterrestrial message could unite us all as a human species to rise to
the occasion of communicating with an alien civilization.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In today’s world, we see the planet
uniting to solve the problem of COVID-19 and the resulting public
health and safety issues. We work together to overcome global
challenges. We can work together to achieve global successes.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Will millennials see humans land on
Mars for the first time, create affordable space tourism
opportunities, send robots to distant Solar System moons in a search
for life, and the many other dreams filling the pages of the final
chapter of Rise of the Space Age Millennials? I don’t know. I hope
so. We have the ability to come together and rise above today’s challenge and the challenges to come to explore new worlds
for all of humanity. We’ve never let a setback define us.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I’d like to think the goals and
dreams of millennials working in space are the same now as they were
then. Mine are. Maybe the current world’s challenge gives us in the
space industry more motivation to become more multidiscipinary, share
more new technologies and methods with the medical community, and
inspire people with how the world could be.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We could all use the inspiration to
help us rise above this storm to a new day.</div>
<br />Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-22619869811209436522020-03-26T16:44:00.002-04:002020-03-27T09:44:46.821-04:00Working From Home With Kids<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lYnCx6kH8bo/Xn0UJyBm8qI/AAAAAAAACb4/IldhWEyK0YwGbcxBh_uan_UGo4hsNPlmwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Working%2BFrom%2BHome%2BWith%2BKids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lYnCx6kH8bo/Xn0UJyBm8qI/AAAAAAAACb4/IldhWEyK0YwGbcxBh_uan_UGo4hsNPlmwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/Working%2BFrom%2BHome%2BWith%2BKids.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balancing a laptop and a sleeping newborn in my lap</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
With many people working from home and
a more general acceptance of employees being full human beings with
families and personal interests, I’d like to discuss my experience
working at home with young kids.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“The ability to work with young
children at home is zero,” claims a popular tweet posted a couple
weeks ago as many companies and institutions in the United States
temporarily shifted to encouraged or mandatory work-at-home status
for many of their employees.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I assure you, it’s not zero. I’ve
been working at home with young children for 4 years. In this time,
I’ve created and run a small business, traveled for conferences and
other business trips, helped organize conferences and events, taken
on additional pro bono work, written and published a book, and cared
for two young children. Without childcare or local family to assist.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here are my tips to help with working
from home with kids, which may or may not resonate with you:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<ul>
<li>Embrace the flexibility of working from
home.</li>
<li>Embrace kid interruptions.</li>
<li>Encourage your kids to become independent.</li>
<li>Take advantage of quieter times.</li>
<li>Accept help if you can.</li>
<li>Accept that some days are really, really hard.</li>
<li>Have fun!</li>
</ul>
</div>
<ul>
</ul>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Embrace the flexibility of working from
home</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So many work-from-home guides encourage
keeping a strict office schedule, only working in a home office,
avoiding house chores during the day, and other strategies to emulate
the office environment at home. That seems to work for many people.
That does not work for me.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I proudly defy most conventional
work-from-home advice. I encourage you to embrace the flexibility
working at home offers. You can work from anywhere. Any piece of
furniture or even standing up or walking. From any device or platform
(desktop, laptop, phone, tablet, even a pen and paper if that’s
your thing). In any room. Even outside in your yard or out-and-about.
A working environment does not need to be constrained by the office
life you’re used to.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Most of the time, you can also work
when you want. There may be immovable telecons, phone calls,
deadlines, and others’ schedules. But outside of those constraints,
your time is yours to plan the way you’d like. If you’re a
morning person, embrace the quiet still of the morning and be
productive at 5 AM. If you’re a night owl like me who sleeps in as
much as motherhood allows, embrace the quiet still of the night. Some
days, I’m in the zone at midnight and can work for a couple hours
at home at a time not conventionally seen as a time to work in an
office.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Flexibility of schedule also means you
can break up your day as you please. In an office, you may take
breaks to grab a snack, use the bathroom, strike up a conversation
with a coworker, take a walk, and whatever else you need to do to
recharge. At home, you have even more flexibility to take a breather
during the day when you need to. Don’t feel guilty for not working
8 hours straight at home; you’re a human, not a machine. Life is
more than just working.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Embrace kid interruptions</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Young kids will need you. Depending on
the child, the situation, and the home environment, some kids are
more in need of help and attention than others. This may seem
incompatable with work, but with practice, you can work around these
interruptions. See above: your time is flexible. A coworker may
interrupt you at any time in an office setting. Your kids are your
coworkers and they provide you with breaks from work throughout the
day.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My 2-year-old is still in diapers so I
expect breaks for multiple diaper changes throughout the day, usually
not on my schedule. The kids need to eat, so I feed them when I eat:
breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks throughout the day. My 4-year-old
usually fetches her own snacks when she’s hungry. I also provide
them with drinks throughout the day.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When they need me, depending on the
nature of the need and what I’m currently working on, I either
pause work immediately to care for them or find a good time to pause
my work before caring for them. Coincidentally, I was in the middle
of writing the previous sentence when my 2-year-old asked me for a
drink refill. It’s not an urgent need, so I will pause my writing
to refill all our drinks at the end of this paragraph, so, now.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Breaks can also be for fun rather than
for need. Enjoy time with your kids. Give them your attention when
you can. Play with them. It doesn’t need to be long, just a few
minutes. Or perhaps you can spare an hour to do an activity with them
or to take a full afternoon off. Even just a few minutes here and
there helps to reconnect throughout the day.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Encourage your kids to become
independent</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The ability for your kids to occupy
themselves independent of you depends on their age, their
personality, and your home environment. Where at all possible and
safe, allow your kids to play or work independently while you work.
Depending on their age and inclination to get in trouble, you can be
in the room with them or allow them to be elsewhere without you.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both my kids have been very independent
from a young age. I’d even call my 4-year-old fiercely independent.
Neither has ever had any problems entertaining themselves. Whether
this is innate within their personalities or just how I raised them,
I’m not sure. But it sure helps to get work done when I don’t
need to divide my attention too much.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This doesn’t mean I work as if my
kids don’t exist. I almost always work in the same room where my
2-year-old is playing. I keep an eye on him with my laptop in front
of me. I prefer to watch both my kids in the same room, but this
usually isn’t the case. My 4-year-old, as independent as she is
roaming the house, is also endlessly curious and very clever with a
tendency to get into things she shouldn’t, so I take breaks to
check up on her frequently.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How would this work if my kids were
older? Your parenting styles and education philosophies likely differ
from mine, but I’ll offer my viewpoint anyway: we embrace
adult-facilitated student-directed home education, often called
unschooling. Home education does not need to look like school at
home. Trust that your kids are learning all the times and especially
learning when they are self-directed and engaged in an activity or
topic that is interesting to them. Under normal circumstances, we
take our kids out into the world to learn from the world and from
other people. But even at home, we have books, toys, iPads, TVs,
activities, and the endless resources of the internet.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Babies are understandably the most in
need of your time and attention. Maternity leave is truly needed
after a baby is born. I do not expect to get much work done in August
when my third baby is expected. Parents with young babies need to be
the most gentle with themselves about how much work they can
realistically accomplish. Some babies sleep long stretches or are
content to exist without much direct attention. Neither of my babies
were like this. My babies were constantly attached to me. In those
early months, I used voice diction or typed with one hand, used my
phone more than my laptop, warned people about my baby-in-arms during
calls, napped throughout the day, and set low expectations for my own
productivity.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Take advantage of quieter times</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When my kids were younger, they used to
nap more frequently. There were times I struck gold and both napped
simultaneously! I took advantage of those quieter times to really
focus on work that needed my undivided attention.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
More often, I find the quiet freedom of
late nights when I’m still awake and can work while activity in my
house has stopped and activity online (email and social media) is
minimal. My husband, for the same reason, works his side project in
the very early morning hours before the sun has risen and the hustle
of the day has begun.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Accept help if you can</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Many work-from-home parents have
spouses, other family members, babysitters, or other childcare
options they can take advantage of to give them more time for focused
attention on work. If you have someone who can help you watch the
kids, for your own sanity, I encourage you to accept.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Because of the circumstances of our
family, only my husband and I watch our kids. Usually he works from
home on Wednesdays which gives me a little more freedom to step away
to be by myself on Wednesdays. Currently, he’s working from home
indefinitely, which allows us to share parenting responsibilities
even more than usual. There have been times when I’ve needed to
leave him with the kids in the evenings or on weekends for an hour or
two while I go off to another area of the house to work.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Accept that some days are really,
really hard</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is not easy. This is seemingly
impossible when you’re first thrown into it. I had the advantage of
working from home before I had kids so I could set my own routine and
slowly figure things out as my first child grew. For parents abruptly
put in the position of caring for kids while working from home during
a stressful time, this is going to be a very difficult transition.
Don’t beat yourself up.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Even for an experienced work-from-home
mom, some days are about survival. I had a challenging first couple
of months this year with my 4-year-old. Some days all I could do was
the bare minimum of work while I tried to keep my sanity. That’s
okay. Be patient with yourself.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But some days just fly by in a zone of
low turbulence, checking one task off the list after another, making
extensive progress on a project, and keeping the kids and myself
alive and happy. Those are the days when I know I can do this. And
you can too. Maybe not now, under the current circumstances. But
maybe one day.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Have fun</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My favorite work-from-home memories of
last year were watching the kids play in the backyard in the warm
months of the summer and early autumn while I wrote my book using
voice dictation on my phone.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yesterday, with business slow and my
mind distracted with the troubles of the world, I took some hours
“off” in the afternoon to garden in the backyard with my
4-year-old. I checked email on my phone every so often, but mostly, I
was out enjoying nature with my daughter.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I watch rocket launch livestreams with
my kids nearby (who often aren’t interested, but I try) and talk
with them about my work frequently. I truly enjoy being with my kids
every day and I enjoy building a business in the career I love.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I’m so thankful for the opportunity
to work from home with my kids. I wish everyone could experience this
in a positive way as I’ve been able to.</div>
Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-45693708508525188442020-03-20T23:31:00.002-04:002020-03-20T23:31:43.849-04:00Rise of the Space Age Millennials - Thank You!<iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/399312588" width="640"></iframe>Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-54605508077532986532020-03-19T13:01:00.003-04:002022-08-15T21:12:07.641-04:00Space Podcasts I'm Hooked On<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mMFk3E8CU04/XnOlWX1cW0I/AAAAAAAACbc/8LeOsqXloToTHdEYlQoYcmVN8g9oTlqDwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/1280-630303main-pia15481c-full-lead.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mMFk3E8CU04/XnOlWX1cW0I/AAAAAAAACbc/8LeOsqXloToTHdEYlQoYcmVN8g9oTlqDwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/1280-630303main-pia15481c-full-lead.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original photo by NASA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I’m hooked on podcasts. I subscribe
to 45 of them, mostly space podcasts. I enjoy listening when I’m
doing work with my hands such as cooking and cleaning. Working from
home, I also enjoy hearing the intelligent discussions about topics
of interest to me.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
With a lot of us working from home and
staying in these days, I thought I’d share some of my favorite
space podcasts.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Are We There Yet?</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This weekly podcast by radio journalist
Brendan Byrne also airs on public radio in Orlando, Florida, 90.7
WMFE. The title refers to the long road to get humans to Mars. In 28
minutes, Brendan gives quick space news updates at the start,
followed by an interview with a space expert, followed by a segment
with three UCF professors on space topics of interest.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Astro, Esq.</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This space law podcast by Nathan Johnson, still on break from its first season in 2019, features
interviews with various experts involved in space law and policy in
40 minute segments.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Constellations</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This space security podcast by Kratos,
published approximately twice per month, gives updates about new
satellite technologies in 20 – 25 minute segments.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Gravity Assist</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This NASA podcast by NASA Chief
Scientist Jim Green, still on break from its third season in 2019,
published 10 to 15 episodes per year. It features 20 – 25 minute
interviews on NASA science missions.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Houston We Have a Podcast</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This NASA weekly podcast produced at
Johnson Space Center features hour-long interviews about NASA
missions and technology, occasionally by astronauts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Liftoff</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This biweekly podcast by Stephen
Hackett and Jason Snell of Relay FM, ranging from 30 to 75 minutes
long, gives an overview of the space news topics of the moment.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Main Engine Cut Off (MECO)</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This weekly podcast by Anthony
Colangelo, alternates between shorter space news updates (10 – 20
minutes long) and longer interviews with experts (30 – 60 minutes
long).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Mission Eve</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Still on break from its first season in
2019, this weekly podcast by Meagan Crawford of the <span style="font-weight: normal;">Center
for Space Commerce & Finance </span>features 30 – 60 minute
interviews with women in the space sector.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>NASA in Silicon Valley</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This NASA podcast produced by Ames
Research Center recently switched formats. It now features live
recordings with multiple interviews per segment throughout the year.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Off-Nominal</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This monthly podcast by Jake Robins
and Anthony Colangelo features hour-long interviews with experts on
various topics of interest, space-themed drinks, and space picks of the month.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>On a Mission</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This NASA podcast produced by JPL is
still on break from its second season in 2019. This weekly podcast,
35 to 45 minutes long, features NASA science missions in a
storytelling format.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>On Orbit</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This 30 – 60 minute weekly podcast by
On Orbit features interviews by experts in themes such as “connecting
the unconnected” and other satellite communications topics of
interest.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Planetary Radio</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Produced by the Planetary Society’s
Mat Kaplan, this weekly podcast 45 – 75 minutes long features
interviews with Planetary Society leaders and outside experts, news
updates, an overview of what’s currently visible in the night sky,
a trivia contest, and a monthly space policy edition.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Small Steps, Giant Leaps</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This NASA podcast published once or
twice per month looks back at the Apollo program and forward to
NASA’s plans in the Artemis program.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Space Junk</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This hour-long mostly weekly podcast by
OPT Telescopes gives practical information about stargazing and
astrophotography as well as featuring interviews with experts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Space4U</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This monthly podcast by the Space
Foundation features 20 – 40 sometimes multi-part interviews with
experts on a variety of space topics.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Spacepod</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This monthly 15 - 30 minute podcast by Carrie Nugent features interviews with space scientists and unusual drinks.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>SpaceQ</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This formerly weekly podcast but now
being produced a bit less often by Marc Boucher of SpaceQ features
space topics of interest to the Canadian space sector, sometimes news
updates, sometimes interviews, and sometimes audio recordings of
events.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Supercluster</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This mostly weekly podcast usually 30 –
60 minutes long features an overview of the space news of the moment
plus occasional interviews with experts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>The Invisible Network</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This weekly NASA podcast, currently on
break, features interviews and stories about space communications and
navigation in 15 – 40 minute episodes.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>The Orbital Mechanics Podcast</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This weekly 30 – 90 minute podcast by
David Fourman, Ben Etherington, and Dennis Just features discussions
on space news of the moment, a space trivia contest, and occasional
interviews with experts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>The Rocket Ranch</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This NASA podcast produced by Kennedy
Space Center once or twice per month features 30 – 45 minute
episodes on various NASA historic and current events topics in a
storytelling format.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>The Space Above Us</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This biweekly podcast by by JP Burke
gives an in-depth look of every historic NASA mission, one mission
per episode, from Mercury to Space Shuttle (as of this writing, he’s
up to STS-33), in 20 – 40 minute episodes.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>The Space Angels Podcast (now Space Capital Podcast)</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This 30-minute podcast by Chad
Anderson, produced a few times per year, features interviews with
companies in the Space Angels portfolio on various space technologies
and other space experts on space entrepreneurism and the commercial
space industry.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>The Space Shot</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This 15 – 30 minute weekly podcast by
John Mulnix features a look back at historical space anniversaries of
the week with occasional interviews with experts on a variety of
space topics.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>TMRO</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This 45 – 75 minute weekly live
recording video broadcast (which I listen after-the-fact in podcast
format) features space news, interviews with experts, and space
discussions.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Universe Today</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This podcast by Fraser Cain publishes
several episodes per week including hour-long live video question &
answer sessions, 10-minute segments on a space topic, and 30-minute
interviews with experts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>WeMartians</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This biweekly podcast by Jake Robins
features 30 – 45 minute interviews with experts on a variety of
Mars-related topics.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
All the above podcasts are presumably
active. But I want to mention one limited-production podcast released
last year:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Moonrise</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This 12-part storytelling podcast
series by The Washington Post’s Lillian Cunningham on the history
of the Apollo program, starting from early science fiction to the
Apollo 11 Moon landing, was excellently researched and produced. I
learned a ton of space history from these accounts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since publishing this blog entry, I’ve
received many great suggestions from readers! I’d like to add for
your consideration:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>13 Minutes to the Moon</b> by BBC World
Services</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Casual Space</b> by Beth Mund</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Satellite Stories</b> by SES</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Terranauts</b> by Iain Christie</div>
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is not an extensive list. There
are other space podcasts out there. What’s your favorite space podcast?</div>
Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-50540755455368405522020-03-16T14:33:00.001-04:002020-03-16T14:33:49.821-04:00The 7th Next-generation Suborbital Researchers Conference<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ07syvHP6o/Xm_D4pWp2qI/AAAAAAAACaQ/CHFW9hWlZmgjWCr0oLL_vMpGlkO4O4dAQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/NSRC.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="305" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lZ07syvHP6o/Xm_D4pWp2qI/AAAAAAAACaQ/CHFW9hWlZmgjWCr0oLL_vMpGlkO4O4dAQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/NSRC.png" width="278" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Before the chaos of the coronavirus and
mass cancellations, there was the 7th Next-generation Suborbital
Researchers Conference. I’ve attended all 7 of them, usually spaced
1.5 to 2 years apart. This year, I was a member of the organizing
team. In addition to running the social media accounts, I organized a
panel and helped with other things along the way. Additionally, I
gave a talk and was a panelist for another panel.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was fun but anxiety-inducing to
organize a panel on the connection between suborbital research on new
vehicles launched by Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic and orbital
research on the ISS. I’ve organized panels before and have no
problems identifying and inviting potential panelists. I confirmed
four speakers: two ISS managers (one from NASA and one from my former
employer CASIS / ISS National Lab, a nonprofit that handles
Earth-benefitting ISS research) and two researchers who have flown
experiments to suborbit and orbit (a NASA engineer and a university
medical doctor and professor).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What made this panel different was a
SpaceX CRS launch to the ISS scheduled Sunday night after the
official start of the conference. Two of my panelists were attending
the launch. If the launch was delayed a day, they would be unable to
attend my panel and I’d be down to two panelists. It turns out the
SpaceX launch was delayed – by 5 days! So my panelists attended the
conference and then attended the launch.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3BA6ZfJQNO8/Xm_EOPap2PI/AAAAAAAACaY/yh9reSwY2G0wyXBdVNzCEbUh-8HWosl2QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3BA6ZfJQNO8/Xm_EOPap2PI/AAAAAAAACaY/yh9reSwY2G0wyXBdVNzCEbUh-8HWosl2QCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_4621.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow! Just before conference kick-off on Sunday.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />In addition to constant social media
posting and engagement, I staffed the registration desk Sunday
evening and Monday morning. I’m an extrovert, so greeting people
when they arrive is fun. Find their name badge, hand them their
program and flyer packet, give them some give-away swag (this time, a
conference pen and a Virgin Galactic “remove before flight”
keychain tag), let them know about the ZeroG Corporation raffle, and
ask if they have any questions. If they are a friend, catch up a
little bit with small talk. If they are a journalist, student, or
VIP, there was additional information to tell them. I had helpers
during both sessions who I trained to take over when things got too
busy.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sunday evening was the conference
opening reception. We wandered around the hotel’s side lobby while
caterers carried plates of food around and a couple Colorado
politicians spoke words of welcome. I spent most of the time at the
registration desk but ran off for a few minutes at time to take
photos of the speakers for social media posts and grab some food.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As he was filling out his raffle
ticket, three-time space shuttle astronaut and first commercial
astronaut Charlie Walker, who I’ve met several times at this
conference throughout the years, informed me that he had experienced
plenty of microgravity time and would give away his ZeroG parabolic
flight ticket if he won. He offered to give it to me. What a story
that would be – an astronaut winning a raffle and giving away his
ticket! Every time he saw me at the conference, he knew the exact
number of hours until the winner would be selected on Wednesday
morning. He was so excited about it for someone who didn’t plan to
keep the winnings!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T0yFo-JC528/Xm_EjohUBuI/AAAAAAAACak/W6q8VfrmO4857JNnjKCjcs4pd_3JmTeCACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_4625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T0yFo-JC528/Xm_EjohUBuI/AAAAAAAACak/W6q8VfrmO4857JNnjKCjcs4pd_3JmTeCACEwYBhgL/s400/IMG_4625.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Astronaut Charlie Walker filling out his ZeroG Corporation raffle ticket</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Alan Stern kicked off the talks Monday
morning. Although he is a planetary scientist and can speak endlessly
about Pluto and other Kuiper belt objects, he’s also passionate
about the commercial space industry and suborbital science. This
conference is his baby and he has tickets to fly himself with an
experiment someday. As a grad student, Alan was my inspiration
realizing I could be a scientist and work in the space industry
simultaneously, that the two worlds can come together.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Other Monday morning speakers included
Ryan Hamilton of Southwest Research Institute, Kevin Coleman of the
Federal Aviation Administration’s commercial spaceflight office,
George Whitesides of Virgin Galactic, Steve Squyers of Blue Origin,
Eric Stallmer of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, Steven
Collicott of Purdue University and CSF SARG, and finally, my
favorite, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, who high-fived me as he
was boarding an elevator after his talk.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WTHm4BwWuCU/Xm_FKry8cBI/AAAAAAAACas/laxEqpLwU_YadKOAX8yVq7ElkgRSZPuSACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WTHm4BwWuCU/Xm_FKry8cBI/AAAAAAAACas/laxEqpLwU_YadKOAX8yVq7ElkgRSZPuSACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_4682.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine speaking at NSRC-2020</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Fellow book author Alan Ladwig had a
whole table for book signing. His book is a historical look at space
tourism. I had brought 6 copies of my book to sign and sell. We
traded: a signed copy of mine for one of his. He’s also an artist
and doodled as he signed. He gave a talk about his book during the
conference which was great because it was full of amusing old
stories.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Dd2uawn3Sc/Xm_GIpECZdI/AAAAAAAACbA/nZBg2i8j9pMksph8rBn526lchC0XlF9ywCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Space%2Bauthors.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0Dd2uawn3Sc/Xm_GIpECZdI/AAAAAAAACbA/nZBg2i8j9pMksph8rBn526lchC0XlF9ywCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/Space%2Bauthors.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alan Ladwig and I showing off our books at NSRC-2020</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I attended as many of the talks as I
could so I could be there with my phone to take photos and write up
content for social media. I was constantly sharing the posts of
others as well. It kept me quite busy. I didn’t take as much time
as I usually do to network in the hallway.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My talk was second-to-last Monday
afternoon. I presented insights on how to market suborbital
spaceflight to millennials based on the research I conducted for my
book. I didn’t know if anyone would still be in the room or if
they’d be off at the poster and networking session starting 15
minutes later. There was still a small audience, so I gave it my
best. And despite some initial technical difficulties displaying my
presentation correctly, it went great! There was no time for audience
questions, but I got so many complements after the talk.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I wrote up a one-pager on how to market
spaceflight to millennials, <a href="https://www.astralytical.com/blog/2020/3/6/marketing-spaceflight-to-the-next-generation-millennial-insights" target="_blank">available here</a>.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c84U4ao3wA4/Xm_FphoiEOI/AAAAAAAACa0/cbmazCfC5ogrqJp_qSesr9zXk82MmPFjQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c84U4ao3wA4/Xm_FphoiEOI/AAAAAAAACa0/cbmazCfC5ogrqJp_qSesr9zXk82MmPFjQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_4715.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giving my talk on how to market spaceflight to millennials at NSRC-2020</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tuesday was exciting to me because of
one newly arriving attendee: Beth Moses. She is Virgin Galactic’s
astronaut trainer. In 2018, she became the first woman astronaut on a
commercial vehicle, the first woman suborbital astronaut, and the
first person to unstrap and float around in a suborbital spaceflight.
She was the seventh person to be awarded FAA commercial astronaut
wings, the first six being pilots and she being the first passenger.
She’s my suborbital astronaut role model.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I met her briefly at the registration
desk, which I wasn’t working at the time but happened to be there
resting. I sat front row to watch her panel with Michelle Peters of
ZeroG on how to train for microgravity research missions. I finally
got a chance to pose for a photo with her at the VIP reception that
evening.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sCPIeUEPvRE/Xm_F6Sa52OI/AAAAAAAACa8/XR6nwCTtuRA4XcIzJunQuPCXkKqo6N90ACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_4773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sCPIeUEPvRE/Xm_F6Sa52OI/AAAAAAAACa8/XR6nwCTtuRA4XcIzJunQuPCXkKqo6N90ACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_4773.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meeting Beth Moses</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tuesday was also the panel I organized
which went quite well! We only had a few minutes for audience
questions, but the information presented was great and Q&A
session went well too. Mission success.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The very last hour of the Tuesday
afternoon sessions was the panel I was added to a week before the
conference on the importance of researchers flying with their
research on suborbital spaceflight missions. There were seven
panelists, which is a huge number for a one-hour panel, but it worked
out pretty well. Only astronaut Charlie Walker gave intro slides and
the rest was Q&A. I took a different approach than most of the
others and spoke about what I learned from researching for my book
about normalizing spaceflight, creating that human connection,
bringing spaceflight to the masses to stabilize the field financially
and politically the way we take air travel for granted today, and
opening space to other scientific disciplines such as psychologists
researching the way humans perceive the planet and ourselves after
experiencing spaceflight.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Wednesday was the final day of the
conference. I sat in on talks by my graduate advisor Josh Colwell and
former lab college Addie Dove of UCF, reminiscing about the
experiments I spent years on in grad school.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The two raffle winners were announced
for free tickets on ZeroG’s “weightless” parabolic aircraft
flights. I’ve flew two campaigns in grad school and absolutely
loved it, even though I got sick. I’d still fly again in a
heartbeat! I was chatting with my former CASIS colleague Ed Harris
who now works at Keck Observatory in Hawaii. He was in the middle of
telling me that if he won, he plans to donate his ticket to a
scientist in Hawaii who can fly Hawaiian student experiments, when
suddenly the whole lobby was looking over at us. Ed had won! I’m so
glad because his generous donation to support Hawaiian schools is
much better than me flying for a third time.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The final session of the conference,
right after lunch, was full of more top speakers. My favorite space
journalist Jeff Foust of Space News gave an analytical view of
suborbital spaceflight: where it was predicted to be, where it is
now, and where it could grow to be. Beth Moses gave another talk,
this one a more detailed look at her job as an astronaut trainer and
research facilitator with more details about her own spaceflight.
Dylan Taylor of Space for Humanity inspiring talk about the
philosophy of opening up spaceflight with ideals that mirror my own.
And Alan Stern wrapped up the conference with thank-yous.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Those 5 remaining books I brought with
me to autograph and sell? I sold all of them! I probably could have
sold a couple more if I had brought more.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Why do I continue being involved in
NSRC when my work is now broader and I’m no longer directly working
with suborbital research? It’s a small an intimate gathering, a
welcoming community, a good mix of multidisciplinary attendees and
presenters, and very forward-thinking topics. It’s a seamless
fusion of science, engineering, public outreach, government, and
commercial space. And because it’s not annual, it’s not
repetitive in an ever-changing field. Even though my work is broader
now, I still wish to be a suborbital astronaut/ space tourist. When I
fly, I’ll take an experiment with me. I’ve trained to be a
suborbital scientist. Aside from a lunar astronaut, suborbital
astronaut who I desire to become.</div>
<br />Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-48695085540733723412020-02-21T14:45:00.002-05:002020-02-21T15:29:02.337-05:00How Far Millennials Will Soar in Space<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S14UONG3UxI/XlAxezDJN3I/AAAAAAAACZM/h_V3ubNQBqc16OMqqwXI4C5XJDOKDSevgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Soar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S14UONG3UxI/XlAxezDJN3I/AAAAAAAACZM/h_V3ubNQBqc16OMqqwXI4C5XJDOKDSevgCEwYBhgL/s400/Soar.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original image courtesy of NASA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the most inspiring results of my
research interviewing over 100 millennials working in the space sector or
studying to work in the space sector was the optimism about the
future. Although not unanimous, most millennial interviewees hold high hopes and high expectations for the future. I asked them what
they expected millennials will accomplish in space in their
lifetimes. The responses formed the final chapter and my favorite
chapter of <i><a href="https://www.astralytical.com/rise-of-the-space-age-millennials" target="_blank">Rise of the Space Age Millennials</a></i> – How Far We’ll
Soar.<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It’s impossible to predict the
future. But it’s fun to try. My millennial interviewees took a
chance at peering 30, 40, 50 years from now to ponder what the world
may become. Specifically, what humanity will discover and achieve in space.
Much of the focus on space achievements last year was celebrating the
past: the 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing.
I wanted to understand what millennials believe we’ll accomplish 50
years from now.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some interviewees hesitated to imagine
too far into the future, if at all. They took some safe bets. Humans
will return to the Moon and establish a permanent base or settlement.
If NASA’s plans come to fruition in the Artemis program, we will
return astronauts to the Moon as soon as 2024 (although more
realistically somewhere in the 2025 – 2030 time frame).
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Spaceflight frequency and affordability
will increase, perhaps bringing spaceflight to the masses with
suborbital point-to-point transportation. Suborbital and orbital
tourism will take off. The early 2000s saw the first space tourists
travel to the International Space Station. Very soon, we hope to see
Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin begin suborbital space tourism and
SpaceX begin orbital and cislunar tourism.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We will continue to pursue space
resources on asteroids and elsewhere, perhaps maturing <i>in-situ</i>
resource utilization (ISRU) technology. Although the previous and
existing asteroid mining companies were early efforts that have not
yet accomplished their goals, perhaps future efforts on asteroids,
the Moon, or Mars will help humanity obtain off-Earth resources
which are limited on our planet but plentiful elsewhere. Or perhaps
water will become the most valuable mined resource in space.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We will be able to observe exoplanet
atmospheres in more detail. Exoplanet science is only three decades
old and already we’ve discovered over 4,000 confirmed exoplanets.
Peering into the atmospheres of these distant planets orbiting distant
stars is the latest scientific break-through. Comparative planetology
will help us to understand our own planet and how planets are formed
and evolve. The search for biosigatures on these distant worlds is
vital to the search for extraterrestrial life.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
We may even advance beyond chemical
rocketry to more efficient modes of propulsion. Nuclear thermal
fission, ion engines, plasma propulsion, solar sails, even nuclear
fusion may be able to advance our rocket and spacecraft technology to
faster and/or less expensive spaceflight.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Most interviewees believe they will see
astronauts step foot on Mars within their lifetime. <a href="http://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/01/rising-space-millennials-to-mars-beyond.html" target="_blank">The call of the red planet is strong</a> and is widely believed to be the next goal in
human space exploration after the Moon. Some even believe we’ll
begin to establish a permanent base on Mars in the coming decades, officially becoming a
multi-planetary species.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some interviewees foresee the creation
of private space stations for space tourism and other applications. Companies such as Axiom Space and Bigelow Aerospace already have plans to create their own low-Earth orbit destinations. Some foresee multi-generational spacecraft for deep space
exploration.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some believe we’ll find evidence of past or present extraterrestrial
life, whether in our Solar System or on an exoplanet, forever
changing our perspective of the Universe and of ourselves as a species.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some of the idealists interviewed hoped
to see space unify humanity in the form of an international
partnership that rises above the geopolitics of the present. We can
become representatives of one planet as we progress outward to explore new planets. We may
even come together to accomplish interstellar space exploration.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Wherever we go in the future, whatever
we are able to accomplish in my lifetime, writing <i>Space
Millennials</i> has given me renewed hope that the space sector is in
good hands with the next generation and those to come.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Have you gotten your copy? You can find
it on Amazon or visit
<a href="https://www.astralytical.com/rise-of-the-space-age-millennials">https://www.astralytical.com/rise-of-the-space-age-millennials</a>.</div>
<br />Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-85767504502930523242020-01-24T15:25:00.003-05:002020-01-26T00:07:00.333-05:00The Marathon that is Writing, Publishing, & Selling a Book<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fkzS0xAwK5w/XitSdG6pNJI/AAAAAAAACXc/DjbbNNm0594KDXDOv2Cds2jC0WF7H-o1gCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Space%2BMillennials%2Bblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fkzS0xAwK5w/XitSdG6pNJI/AAAAAAAACXc/DjbbNNm0594KDXDOv2Cds2jC0WF7H-o1gCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/Space%2BMillennials%2Bblog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
I'm playing with a book idea. Anyone out there in the "millennial" generation working in the space industry willing to be interviewed?</div>
— Laura Seward Forczyk (@LauraForczyk) <a href="https://twitter.com/LauraForczyk/status/706947486972289024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<br />
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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This
is the tweet that began the creation of the book, <a href="https://www.astralytical.com/rise-of-the-space-age-millennials" target="_blank">Rise of the Space Age Millennials: The Space Aspirations of a Rising Generation</a>. It was
just a thought, an idea that popped into my head. I never thought of
myself as a book author. And yet a little idea kicked off an almost
four-year process of researching for, writing, and publishing my
first book.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
“Are
you writing this book for fame or for money?” a few people asked me
along the way. Ha, neither! I knew from the start this would be a
niche book with a tiny customer base: space-interested millennials
and space-interested readers of other generations to some extent. I
never dreamed this would be a New York Times Best Seller or that it
would make me thousands.</div>
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<br /></div>
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True
to my nature, before writing the book, I researched how to publish a
book. I read a lot of guides and personal accounts. I was under no
illusions. According to a statistic I found, most self-published
books sell fewer than 250 copies ever. Knowing how tiny my market is
for this book, I decided I’d be pleased if I sold 10 books. Last
year I ran a Kickstarter fundraiser and pre-sold 34 books, so I
increased my goal to 100 books. Selling 100 books does not bring fame
nor fortune.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So
why write it? Because no one else had. It was a topic I was
interested in and there was no other resource out there like it.
Millennials get a bad reputation due to stereotypes filled with
half-truths that didn’t ring true to me. My goal was to give my
millennial peers a voice. I wrote the book for myself and for them.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
Being
a scientist, the first thing I wanted to do was collect data. I
interviewed over 100 millennials (101 to 103 depending on how I count
it) with a set of questions covering topics ranging from space
inspirations, work preferences, connectivity, and space goals. I’m
a physical scientist, not a social scientist, so creating interview
questions and interpreting the answers stretched me. I did the best I
could to represent their views.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
My
initial introduction draft contained all kinds of statistics.
Workforce demographics in the US, at NASA, and at companies such as
SpaceX. Statistics about my millennial interview panel. A look at how
millennials compare to previous generations. I come from a scientific
background and I approached the presentation scientifically. But that
doesn’t make for good storytelling. Book writing is entirely
different from the technical writing I’m used to. I scrapped that
version and instead focused on individuals’ stories and the trends
as a whole. I wrote the book with a space-interested audience in mind
but with a clarity that could be understood by anyone.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
One
of my biggest downfalls was impostor syndrome, the fear that I’m
not worthy to be doing what I’m doing. After all, I have no formal
training in book writing and I’m not famous. Why would anyone want
to read a book I wrote? Why would people spend money on my book? How
dare I think my writing is good enough to be read by the masses. This
fear still plagues me. The only motivation that pushed me forward was
reading so many bad books in the past couple of years. I’ve
disliked or felt ambivalent about most of the books I’ve read for
pleasure recently, both modern and “classic.” Yet those books
were still published and sold, recommended to me, and ended up in my
hands. If they could do it, so could I.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
Unfortunately,
negative feedback did paralyze me. Approximately 3 years ago, before
I had even begun writing, I presented my initial research results to
a local AIAA chapter. The room was filled with members of the silent
generation and baby boomers, maybe a generation Xer or two. Aside
from me, there was only one other millennial in the room. I presented
direct quotes from my interviews and explained some of the trends I
was beginning to see. They hated it. They disagreed with it. They
fought back on everything I said simply because it was counter to
their worldview. Nothing I said helped them to overcome their initial
biases to understand the material I was presenting. I left my own
presentation early, feeling dejected and disillusioned. If I couldn’t
convince a space-interested crowd of the value of my material, why
write the book?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
Time
passed. I suffered a computer crash and then another. I lost files. I
built up my business. I got pregnant and had a second child. In the
passing time, I had moments of motivation that encouraged me to work
on the book, but that never lasted long. The book was largely
shelved.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
Eventually
I realized if I didn’t motivate myself, all my hard work up to that
point would be for nothing. So last year, on my birthday, I ran a
Kickstarter campaign. I created draft cover art and a promotional
video. I asked people for help in acquiring initial funds to pay for
art, editing, and publishing. My goal was $1,000 and I raised over
$2,300 which also gave me enough funds to create an audiobook. The
support was truly motivating! Plus, I knew if I took people’s
money in pre-sales, I would finish the book.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But
it still took time. Last year was the busiest yet for my small
business. I got pregnant and had a devastating late miscarriage.
Progress was slow and I needed an end date. I had planned for April,
which got pushed to the summer, which got pushed back even later once
I realized how many Apollo anniversary books were flooding the
market. Finally, I settled again on my birthday, January 17. Book
launch day.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
Before
I knew it, it was November and my manuscript wasn’t yet completed!
I worked as best I could for weeks, finally getting it to my
publisher in December. I knew I was cutting it close.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
My
initial dive into self-publishing reading almost 4 years ago led me
to believe self-publishing was easier than traditional publishing,
especially for a first-time author. The freedom, flexibility, speed,
and increased royalties in self-publishing appealed to me. I doubted
I could get a publisher to agree to my tiny niche market book. And
yet, nothing about self-publishing is easy! I learned the hard way
over and over that first-time authors who self-publish have a lot to
learn.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
I
hired a freelance artist to redesign my cover art and to make a spine
and back cover. At the time, I did not know anything about trim sizes
and page numbers. After a few iterations, I was pleased with the
final product. Only much later did I realize the dimensions of my
cover art were all wrong! Cover art unexpectedly ended up being the
most frustrating part of the entire book publishing experience. After
6 or 7 tries, I think I’ve finally gotten the cover art to where
it’s supposed to be, even if it is a little stretched.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
Last-minute
I decided to hire another artist, a talented young woman in the space
industry, to create interior art. Working with Caroline was a breeze
and my chapters now begin with her beautiful little illustrations.
It’s the details that make the book format so enjoyable over a blog
or other plain text communication.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I
expected editing to be tough, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it
would be. I had done a fair amount of proof-reading ahead of time.
But it’s always humbling to see just how many mistakes I made
without even realizing it. My editor Bart offered so many wonderful
suggestions, the hardest part was implementing them all in the time
constraint I had. Although I know I missed some mistakes, including
an embarrassing one I caught during the typesetting process, I’m
pleased with the quality of the book. I’m never pleased with the
quality of my writing, but it is what it is. I’ll never be as good
of a writer as some, but I’m better than others.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
I
hired another freelancer to format and typeset the book for print and
ebook formats. He did a decent job, but after a few iterations to fix
all the little mistakes, I really felt the time crunch. It was under
one week until book launch!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
I
also learned last-minute, as I was preparing my book launch webpage,
media kits are expected. I knew of press kits from rocket launches,
not book launches. In the final days before book launch day, I
created a media kit with a press release, photos, information, and
even a mock interview.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
As
much as I had read and read about self-publishing, I was not prepared
for the nightmare that is the publishing process on Amazon.
Publishing the ebook (both on Amazon and Barnes & Noble) was
fairly straightforward and I had that task accomplished days early.
But print publishing was another story.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
For
such a huge company that almost holds a monopoly on self-publishing,
Amazon’s instructions are atrocious. I give them a D for unclear
and contradictory information, vague error messages, and long
response times (approximately 20 hours between submissions and
rejections). Finally, a day late, the paperback was on sale. But it
was an early customer who informed me the art wasn’t great and I
needed to fix it. So, finally, now the paperback is on sale and in
good shape, no thanks to Amazon.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
Amazon
conveniently ignores Prime user status when selling author copies. So
not only do I need to pay for shipping boxes of books, I also need to
wait longer than the standard 2-day delivery. It’s embarrassing to
me I still haven’t shipped out pre-order books, let alone the
autographed books that have been ordered over the past week since
book launch. But, it will be done by tomorrow morning when I can
finally get to the post office.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
After
doing even more reading about marketing, I’ve come to understand
book sales are a marathon, not a sprint. Book launch is just the
beginning. I did a little bit of organic social media marketing
before book launch and over the past week, plus documenting my
findings and experiences in this blog. My goal to sell 100 books has
almost been reached. As of this writing, I’m 90% there.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
I did
three podcast interviews about the book prior to its release and I
have a radio interview lined up soon. I’m giving my first live
audience talk about the book at a conference in March, specifically
about how to market space and space business to space-interested
millennials. I plan to turn that talk into a guide to publish for
free on my company’s website. Marketing will continue until the
book topic is no longer relevant, which may be when millennials
really are running the space sector.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Publishing
Space Millennials isn’t over yet. This weekend, I’ll play with my
new microphone and pop filter. I’ll download audio recording
software and try to get an idea how to create an audiobook. Over the
next few months, I’ll record myself narrating the book for the
readers who prefer to listen.</div>
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<br /></div>
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My
dabble into book writing and publishing isn’t over yet. For over a
year now, I’ve had an idea for a second book, but I haven’t
allowed myself to pursue it until this book is completed. The topic:
how to prepare and what to expect as a space tourist. Wish me luck!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
To
purchase Rise of the Space Age Millennials and help me reach my goal,
visit: <a href="https://www.astralytical.com/rise-of-the-space-age-millennials">https://www.astralytical.com/rise-of-the-space-age-millennials</a>
.<br /><br />Edit: Goal of 100 copies sold achieved in the first 9 days. Thank you all!</div>
<br />Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-7699708038500999102020-01-10T13:16:00.001-05:002020-01-10T15:19:05.410-05:00What Inspires Space Millennials?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qQwPIqg-CfA/Xhi9ROfe1fI/AAAAAAAACWs/JtpsQvHoc0g9f1uHi6xbX3c9dKgwk0xIwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/What%2BInspires%2BMillennials.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="807" data-original-width="807" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qQwPIqg-CfA/Xhi9ROfe1fI/AAAAAAAACWs/JtpsQvHoc0g9f1uHi6xbX3c9dKgwk0xIwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/What%2BInspires%2BMillennials.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original image by NASA<br />
Will millennials become the Artemis Generation?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
“I have a celebrity crush on Elon
Musk. I love his brazen, fearless approach. I see him doing more than
just energizing space exploration itself; I see him inspiring my
generation to be bold and fearless in the face of 'impossible'
missions.”<br />
- Interviewee quote from <i>Rise of the Space Age Millennials</i>.</blockquote>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Apollo inspired a generation. In a
short time, NASA accomplished the seemingly impossible. The iconic
Apollo 11 Moon landing unified much of the world as people from all
walks of life gathered around TVs to watch those first steps into a
new era.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Many from the Baby Boomer generation
(born 1946 – 1964) remember this defining moment from their
childhood or early adulthood. Some were so captivated by the moment
and the movement, they pursued space careers and remained lifelong
advocates of space exploration.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Last summer, the United States
celebrated the 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary of Apollo 11 with great
fanfare and reflection. Nostalgic essays, books, and films looked
back on the grand days of the early space program and the feats NASA
was able to accomplish.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But for many, including millennials
(born approximately 1981 – 2000), Apollo 50<sup>th</sup>
anniversary celebrations were a source of frustration. Millennials
were not yet born during those glory days. No one from the millennial
generation or Generation Z (born approximately after 2000), and many
from Generation X (born approximately 1965 – 1980) have ever seen
humans step foot on another world. If we could land humans on the
Moon 50 years ago, why can't we do so today?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Older millennials grew up during the
era of the Space Shuttle program. For many, their source of
inspiration were astronauts floating in the International Space
Station, doing somersaults, playing with droplets of water, and
advancing science. For many millennials in the United States, the
space shuttles were all they knew of vehicles capable of taking
humans off-world.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Robotic space voyagers also served as a
source of inspiration for generations born after Apollo. Mars rovers
Pathfinder's Sojourner (landed 1997), Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit
and Opportunity (landed 2004), and Mars Science Laboratory's
Curiosity (landed 2012) <a href="http://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2020/01/rising-space-millennials-to-mars-beyond.html" target="_blank">brought the red planet into the imaginations of the millennial generation</a>. The astrophysics-advancing Hubble Space
Telescope (launched 1990), Saturn-exploring Cassini–Huygens
(launched 1997), Pluto-imaging New Horizons (launched 2006), and
exoplanet-hunting Kepler Space Telescope (launched 2009) are also
among the missions that inspired millennials to contemplate the
cosmos.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But by far, the #1 source of
inspiration and excitement cited by over 100 millennials I
interviewed for my upcoming book, <i><a href="https://www.astralytical.com/rise-of-the-space-age-millennials" target="_blank">Rise of the Space Age Millennials</a></i> (released January 17, 2020), is the emerging
commercial space industry, or “NewSpace.” Top of the list: SpaceX
with its charismatic founder Elon Musk and its impressive rocket
booster landings, enormous Starship, and ambitious plans, including
human missions to the Moon and Mars. The quote at the top is by a
millennial interviewee in <i>Space Millennials</i> and echoes many of
the other interviewees' sentiments.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
With feats never before seen (landing
two rocket boosters back to the ground simultaneously) to
public-engaging showmanship (launching a Falcon Heavy carrying a
Tesla Roadster with a spacesuited mannequin playing David Bowie
music), it's no surprise SpaceX motivates and excites millennials
just now entering and growing in their space careers. Other sources
of NewSpace inspiration from my millennial interviewees: Blue Origin,
Virgin Galactic, and Bigelow Aerospace.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This isn't to say Apollo didn't also
inspire millennials. <a href="http://laurasspaceonspace.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-birth-of-space-enthusiast-to-moon.html" target="_blank">Apollo inspired me when I was a child.</a> NASA's
current human exploration Moon-to-Mars program Artemis calls the
explorers of this time the Artemis Generation. When humanity returns
to our nearest celestial neighbor again, many will be inspired for
generations to come. Perhaps, with determination, luck, and
public-private partnerships, millennials and Generation Z will be
celebrating the Apollo 11 centennial from on the Moon in 2069.</div>
<br />Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6301137719437061252.post-74038717564874179232020-01-03T14:07:00.003-05:002020-01-10T13:17:12.164-05:00Rising Space Millennials to Mars & Beyond<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Re6zBCxvDy8/Xg-QqOWh6uI/AAAAAAAACWA/pS5DU9JVDoM1IDOg-31RlCL69ouMxzMQgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Rising%2BSpace%2BMillennils%2Bto%2BMars%2B%2526%2BBeyond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="1512" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Re6zBCxvDy8/Xg-QqOWh6uI/AAAAAAAACWA/pS5DU9JVDoM1IDOg-31RlCL69ouMxzMQgCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/Rising%2BSpace%2BMillennils%2Bto%2BMars%2B%2526%2BBeyond.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mars image courtesy of NASA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Astronauts landing on Mars. Permanent
settlements on the Moon and Mars. Private space stations. Advanced
rocket propulsion. Deep space tourism cruises. The discovery of life
on one of our Solar System moons or a distant exoplanet. Even global
peace and unity through space activity. These are some of the
predictions and dreams space millennials have for their time in the
workforce as described in my upcoming book, <a href="https://www.astralytical.com/rise-of-the-space-age-millennials" target="_blank">Rise of the Space Age Millennials</a>.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The summer of 2019 was all about
reliving the glory days of Apollo (as we remember them now). The
astounding achievement of landing astronauts on the Moon in 1969
deserves the praise and celebration it received 50 years later.
Written accounts and oral histories contributed to our nostalgic
reflections on what we've accomplished over the past half-century.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Relatively few pondered what we'll
accomplish over the next half-century. Where will humanity be in
space when we celebrate the centennial of the Apollo 11 lunar
landing? Can you imagine 2069?</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The generations that built the early
space age will be long gone by then. The current rising working
generation of millennials will be nearing retirement. Generation Z
and the generations to come will be carrying the torch forward for
humanity into the cosmos. I asked approximately 100 millennials
working in the space sector or studying to work in the space sector
what they hope we will accomplish before we retire.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Refreshingly, their outlook was bright!
A few cynics offered skepticism we'd get much farther out into space
than we already are. But the vast majority of respondents had lofty
goals and high expectations. I fully admit to a selection bias in my
sample. All respondents were working or pursuing work in a field they
love and only those willing to share their dreams with me responded.
There's also something to be said for the optimism of youth before
it's crushed into realism and cynicism by delayed projects, canceled
programs, and broken promises. And yet, millennials in their 20s and
30s who have already seen their share of shifting priorities and
timelines still remained optimistic.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Mars Mars Mars. No destination calls to
millennials the way Mars does. Many millennials shared my desire to
return humans to the Moon, but almost universally, Mars was the most
important goal. Just about every one of the millennials respondents
believes they will witness humans land on the red planet in their
lifetimes. NASA's current focus on taking the Artemis Generation to
the Moon, then Mars, just as Constellation and other programs
previously promised, is in line with millennial expectations for the
future. Whether it's a government program or a private company such
as SpaceX, millennials assume a future on Mars.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How we get to Mars is still an area of
active debate. Some millennials call for a push reminiscent of the
Apollo era, complete with an Apollo-sized NASA budget, to achieve a
grand goal for the global space community. Some millennials call for
a more incremental approach, improving life support systems,
radiation shielding, and propulsion technology before sending our
pioneering astronauts deeper into space than ever before. Some call
for a large government initiative while others put their faith in the
ambitious of innovative new companies. The path we take is still to
be written.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Who participates will look different
than the Right Stuff astronauts of 50 years ago. Millennials in the
United States represent a more diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural
population than previous generations. Each successive generation is
getting more diverse. On average, millennials also value diversity
and inclusivity more than their older colleagues. Many millennials I
interviewed mentioned the imperative of a more representative space
workforce and the importance of involving the international
community. Future human expeditions to Mars will be more
representative of the global population.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was a pleasure getting to know my
peers better through these interviews. For more insights on these
topics or others, I invite you to read <a href="https://www.astralytical.com/rise-of-the-space-age-millennials" target="_blank">Rise of the Space Age Millennials</a> (released January 17, 2020).</div>
<br />Laura Seward Forczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01726929484739875185noreply@blogger.com0