![]() ![]() And by teaching space technology and law, I look forward to playing my part in advancing the next generation's access to space. It's an honour for me to be able to train for this mission and hopefully bring the space dream closer to Australia. It means small companies that couldn't previously afford spaceflight can now get in the game. Being able to complete human-tended research on a suborbital research flight is a much more affordable option, and is, therefore, a game-changer. Doing research on the ISS is expensive, slow and subject to long wait times.Īustralian companies can benefit from research opportunities offered by suborbital flights in the US. Generally, only space agency astronauts from the US, Russia, Japan and Europe will travel to and from the ISS in various orbital spacecraft, otherwise known as rockets. Most people have heard of the International Space Station (ISS) the football-field-sized laboratory in space which constantly orbits Earth. For instance, studying how a virus replicates in space could help scientists develop better vaccines and treatments for diseases such as COVID-19. Studying how materials behave in weightless environments has proven immensely useful for scientists. Why do research in space anyway?īut what's the big deal when it comes to research in space? Well, for one, spaceflight allows researchers to observe how materials behave in the absence of gravity. If there are no further changes to the eligibility requirements or criteria, I could be nominated to receive Astronaut Wings once the mission is complete. Both my training and the work I will do aboard my first suborbital flight as a payload specialist fall within the guidelines outlined in the FAA’s advisory circular released on July 20. If all goes to plan, I will graduate with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) qualifications as a spaceflight crew member for any space vehicle in the US (orbital and suborbital). We'll be able to work on any aspect of the training we feel is needed before our final evaluation. The last day of training will involve using virtual and augmented reality to practise planning space missions. Experiments are conducted during weightlessness. This is repeated 20 to 25 times during the flight to demonstrate weightlessness in space. In parabolic flights, an aircraft repeatedly climbs steeply, then enters a deep dive, to create weightlessness for up to 40 seconds. With this, I pivoted towards a career in the space industry, and have never looked back. I eventually received an Australian Government Endeavour Executive Award for a project at the NASA Kennedy Space Centre. My path to spaceĪs a female STEM and legal professional, my past jobs included working as a research scientist in mining and metals for BHP-Billiton, Rio Tinto and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) - but I always loved space.Īfter combining my science degree with two law degrees, I won a scholarship for the International Space University. But it has taken a lot of effort for this dream to be realised. ![]() It’s an opportunity I consider out of this world. Once we're up there, my team and I expect to conduct research on Earth's atmosphere. In other words, I'll be one of few certified crew members who can handle specialised scientific equipment aboard a suborbital spacecraft. I expect to fly my first suborbital mission sometime in 2023 as a payload specialist on a commercial mission. ![]() I'm currently training to become Australia's first woman astronaut. ![]()
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