Shifting Boundaries: Women in Space
“If we want scientists and engineers in the future, we should be cultivating the girls as much as the boys.” – Sally Ride
The space industry has always been synonymous with ambition, discovery and pushing the boundaries of human exploration. Outside orbiting the cosmos, space technology also offers us innovation across adjacent sectors, dubbed the New Space Sector (we will be exploring adjacent sectors and cutting-edge technology soon - watch this space!)
From the mathematical genius of Katherine Johnson, who played a pivotal role in NASA's early space missions, to the groundbreaking achievements of astronaut Sally Ride, women from across the globe have demonstrated significant accomplishments. In this blog, we will delve into the accomplishments of women in the space industry, shed light on their invaluable strengths and address the inequalities that still exist in the sector.
Remarkable Women in Space
Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova etched her name in history as the pioneering woman who embarked on a remarkable journey into space aboard the Vostok 6 spacecraft in 1963, representing the Soviet Union. Since Tereshkova's groundbreaking mission, a further 64 women have joined the ranks of space explorers, albeit progress that has been marked by intermittent advancements.
Katie Bouman, a brilliant computer scientist, played an integral role in developing the algorithm that paved the way for capturing the historic first image of a black hole. Meanwhile, Swati Mohan, a talented engineer, took the helm of NASA's mission guidance and control operations, garnering recognition as the face behind the successful landing of the Perseverance rover on Mars in early 2021.
Adding to the roster of accomplished women, Cathy Sham, a notable figure at NASA's Johnson Space Flight Center, not only serves as the spectrum manager for the International Space Station but also chairs a working party in the ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R). Her expertise extends to managing NASA's activities on the lunar surface as well. The United Arab Emirates' ambitious Hope probe, dedicated to exploring the Martian atmosphere, saw the astute leadership of Sarah Al-Amiri, who led a team of talented women engineers in this groundbreaking endeavour. This is only a handful of all the notable female pioneers in space.
Despite these noteworthy achievements, the representation of women in space travel remains relatively low. To date, women comprise just over 10 percent of the total number of human space travellers and despite the voyages into space, there is yet to be a woman to walk the surface of the moon. However, looking forward, we are excited to witness NASA’s ambition to land the first woman on the surface of the Earth’s moon in 2024.
The Under-representation in Leadership
A study conducted in 2021 uncovered that just under 24% of employees in the industry are female. For example, women make up only about a third of NASA’s workforce and only 16 percent of senior employees. There are some notable women in high-ranking positions within the industry such as Leanne Crew, Executive Vice President of the Boeing Company as well as President and CEO Defence Space & Security; Gwynne Shotwell, engineer, president and COO of SpaceX, however there is a general inequality across the majority of the industry at large.
The commercialisation of the space sector has led to a greater diversification of innovators and entrants into the space industry. Space staffing solution company Evona analysed their own data within the New Space Sector and found that 12% of the founders, owners or entrepreneurs in the New Space market identify as female. As well as only 17% of C-level and senior positions (including founders, owners and entrepreneurs) being held by women – a statistic mirrored globally with only 18% of women in positions of power throughout the workforce.
There is a distinct imbalance that still pervades the industry 60 years on from Valentina Tereshkova travelling to space.
Encouraging Girls and Women to Pursue Space Careers
A big part of the key to encouraging diversity lies in education. Currently space continues to be unequal, as the STEM industry as a whole generally sees a significantly less undertaking of female applicants.
Our work in collaboration with the UK Space Agency is centred around supporting, encouraging and progressing female entrepreneurship and innovation in the industry and across the UK, building hubs that are not just centred in the capital. Our Women in Space series will be highlighting change-making women, showcasing current stories that aim to inspire and bring awareness to a truly fascinating industry. We have ambitions to foster strong female networks around the country through networking events and community hubs, both online and offline.
The UK Space Agency Accelerator is open to all people from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds. Currently, our Explore programme is live and taking applicants! So we encourage you to get your applications in for a chance to secure your place on the accelerator. Click through on the link below to read through the Explore programme, the support you get, the benefits you gain and ultimately, a window into the potential you will reach on the programme!