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Case study: space missions Stepping stones to space Libby Jackson, human exploration programme manager at the UK Space Agency, talks to Tushna Commissariat about taking chances, making bold choices, and finding her way into the space sector P R l r o u s e C a 2 8 When she was eight years old, physicistturned-engineer Libby Jackson penned and illustrated a “travel guide to Mars”. Part of a s choo l as s i g nment s e t ove r t he summer ho l iday s , s h e wa s mean t t o r e s e a r c h a p l a c e t ha t she someday hoped to visit. Jackson decided upon a rather more liberal interpretation of the assignment, as she dreamed of a terraformed Martian surface, teeming with “an amazing selection of hotels you could stay at [and] also plenty of marzipan and Mars bars to go around”. Space has been a lifel o n g p a s s i o n f o r J a c k s o n an d t o day s h e i s t h e human exploration programme manager for the UK Space Agency. “M y i n t e r e s t ha s a l way s b e e n i n s p a c e , b u t when I was younger, I didn’t know that the UK had a space industry or that you could p o s s i b l y b e an e n g i n e e r o r a s c i e n t i s t wo r k i n g in that field,” says Jackson. Indeed, it was only when she spent a week of her summer holidays at Space School UK at the age of 16, that she learnt about the many different roles, beyond that of an astronaut, that the space sector affords. Jackson went on a visit to what was then Matra Marconi Space company in Bristol, which later became Astrium, and subsequently Airbus. “I clearly remember my fascination that day, seeing real space hardware and satellites that were being built here in the UK. That was when I had t h e f i r s t i n k l i n g t ha t p e r hap s o n e day t h i s might be something I could do. But at the time, my focus really was on my impending GC SE s and t h e n A - l e v e l s and o n t o un i v e r s i t y. So while the seeds were sown, I still couldn’t really see how I ’d get there just yet.” Space stories L ibby Jack son speaking at t he 2019 Bluedot Fes t i val in t he UK . In fact, this is something that Jackson is keen to tell students today, who may have a “big crazy dream” but might not know how to fulfil it. “When you are at university, and you look at people you admire or who are doing jobs that you want – know that none of these people would have known how they would get there either, when they were 15. You may be able to look back and see the path, but for now it’s just a series of stepping stones. Just look for the lily pad or the next stone that seems interesting to you, and if you’re enjoying i t , then that ’s the r ight way.” For Jackson, the next life-changing step came a year later aged 17, when she had to organize a week of work shadowing. On a whim, Jackson and a friend used the latter’s e-mail account (few people had e-mail access at the time) to contact NASA, and by some stroke of luck, she and the friend were invited to spend two weeks at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, US. “We saw the neutral buoyancy lab where they trained astronauts. We even got into the building where they house all the Apollo lunar rocks, and to this day, I’ve not seen those since.” But what Jackson r emembers most f r om t hat trip is the time she spent at mission control. “I sat next to Kathy Larson, who was working on a propulsion systems console – she was s hu t t l e f l i g h t c o n t r o l l e r , and t h e y we r e r unn i n g simulations for shuttle launches and aborts. And I just put the headset on, and I thought, ‘ This is i t…this is where I want to be.’ ” After getting her A-levels in physics, ma t h s , f u r t h e r ma t h s and mus i c , J a c k s o n d i d a BSc in physics at Imperial College, London. She t hen enr o l l ed f or a Master ’s in aer onautics and space engineering at Cranfield University in 2002. Between the two degrees, Jackson did a summer placement at EADS Astrium (now Airbus), working with a team on synthetic-aperture radar imaging – indeed, her thesis research was also done with the group. At the end of her degree, the same group offered her a job. “While the work was interesting for a summer, it just didn’t excite me enough, so I turned them down, with nothing else on the horizon,” says Jackson. As it happened, this was the right decision – Jackson put together a CV, which stated that she was looking to work specifically in Physics World  Careers 2020 In association with brightrecruits
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mission control and operations, and sent it to a variety of graduate schemes and several of the space companies in the UK. “In the end, it was Astrium that invited me for an interview. It turned out that they were looking for graduates to work in a team to develop a satellite operations centre, and this became my f ir st job.” Jackson spent the next three and a half years at Astrium as an operations engineer. Despite being one of only two female engineers in her team at the time, she always felt welcome. “I’ve been lucky. I certainly hear hor r o r s t o r i e s abou t ac ademia and eng i neeri ng , bu t I t h i nk t he spac e s e c t o r i s a b i t d i f f e rent. That’s a very important message I’d like to get out. I’m not for a minute pretending that sexism isn’t an issue in the sector, but I want young people to know that this can be a welcoming place, no matter your gender, race or sexual or ientation.” Variety of life Around 2007, once Europe became part of the International Space Station (ISS) and the Columbus science lab module was to be launched, Jackson moved to Munich and became an instructor at the Columbus Control Centre, and spent the first year and a half training flight controllers. A few years later, the opportunity arose for her to become a I want young people to know that the space sector can be a welcoming place, no matter your gender, race or sexual orientation flight director, and she jumped at the chance. So what’s a day in the life of a flight director like? “Well, every day is different, as you’re making decisions and problemsolving, while working with an amazing team of ver y t alented people. T here were daily science experiments to be run, and there might be some maintenance to do. Always, we had to keep the crew safe, keep the vehicle safe, and then get on with the mission. The mantra for mission control is crew, vehicle, mission. And you do all of this while working at the forefront of human exploration.” Today, Jackson works at the UK Space Agency, leading the country in human space exploration. “I work with our astronauts, and on the science that goes on at the ISS. I work with academia and industry to make sure everyone can make the most of the UK’s space endeavours.” At the end of 2019, the European Space Agency (ESA) – which the UK will still be a member of post-Brexit – planned on hosting a meeting of all its member states, to agree on future programmes and funding. “The decisions that will be made at the end of this year should see ESA commit to part of the lunar gateway and the return of humans to the Moon, and part of the mission to return samples from Mars. The UK is hoping to be a part of these, and my job is to be writing the business cases that will be put to the UK Treasury, to make the case for the UK’s investment in these missions.” J a c k s o n i s empha t i c t ha t t h e s p a c e s e c t o r is thriving. “We need people to join in, and physics is an ideal route into it, as you’ve seen from my story. Whether that’s getting into space to do research, or whether it’s any one of the many other roles, there’s something for ever yone.” Tushna Commissariat i s r ev iews and car eer s editor of Physics World Department of Space and Climate Physics Now accepting applications for: MSc Space Science and Engineering The space industry is a multi-billion pound industry in the UK and is growing world-wide. In a programme taught by the UK’s largest university space science department, learn how to design a space mission from payload selection to launch and operation. Taking the Space Technology pathway, you will learn cutting edge space applications for science and technology including mechanical and electrical design of satellites. The Space Science pathway prepares you for a career in the exciting fields of experimental solar-, planetary-, or astro- physics. Learn how to design and operate scientific instrument in space from scientists and engineers that work on ESA and NASA missions. Find more information and apply at: bit.ly/MSSLSpace MSc Space Risk and Disaster Reduction In an increasingly technological and globally connected world, risks to space-based communications systems and critical infrastructure are emerging threats to national security and businesses. This unique programme unites emergency response, disaster risk reduction and space technology, you will learn about satellite technology, mission design, hazards and vulnerabilities unique to outer space, and the monitoring of hazards on Earth from outer space. Taught jointly with the Institute of Risk and Disaster Reduction, this programme is a blend of disaster science and space technology. Find more information and apply at: bit.ly/MSSLRisk Image: NASA astronauts repair the Hubble Space Telescope 2 9 In association with brightrecruits Physics World  Careers 2020

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Case study: space missions

Stepping stones to space Libby Jackson, human exploration programme manager at the UK Space Agency, talks to Tushna Commissariat about taking chances, making bold choices, and finding her way into the space sector

P R

l r o u s e

C a

2 8

When she was eight years old, physicistturned-engineer Libby Jackson penned and illustrated a “travel guide to Mars”. Part of a s choo l as s i g nment s e t ove r t he summer ho l iday s , s h e wa s mean t t o r e s e a r c h a p l a c e t ha t she someday hoped to visit. Jackson decided upon a rather more liberal interpretation of the assignment, as she dreamed of a terraformed Martian surface, teeming with “an amazing selection of hotels you could stay at [and] also plenty of marzipan and Mars bars to go around”. Space has been a lifel o n g p a s s i o n f o r J a c k s o n an d t o day s h e i s t h e human exploration programme manager for the UK Space Agency.

“M y i n t e r e s t ha s a l way s b e e n i n s p a c e , b u t when I was younger, I didn’t know that the UK had a space industry or that you could p o s s i b l y b e an e n g i n e e r o r a s c i e n t i s t wo r k i n g in that field,” says Jackson. Indeed, it was only when she spent a week of her summer holidays at Space School UK at the age of 16, that she learnt about the many different roles, beyond that of an astronaut, that the space sector affords. Jackson went on a visit to what was then Matra Marconi Space company in Bristol, which later became Astrium, and subsequently Airbus. “I clearly remember my fascination that day, seeing real space hardware and satellites that were being built here in the UK. That was when I had t h e f i r s t i n k l i n g t ha t p e r hap s o n e day t h i s might be something I could do. But at the time, my focus really was on my impending GC SE s and t h e n A - l e v e l s and o n t o un i v e r s i t y. So while the seeds were sown, I still couldn’t really see how I ’d get there just yet.”

Space stories L ibby Jack son speaking at t he 2019 Bluedot Fes t i val in t he UK .

In fact, this is something that Jackson is keen to tell students today, who may have a “big crazy dream” but might not know how to fulfil it. “When you are at university, and you look at people you admire or who are doing jobs that you want – know that none of these people would have known how they would get there either, when they were 15. You may be able to look back and see the path, but for now it’s just a series of stepping stones. Just look for the lily pad or the next stone that seems interesting to you, and if you’re enjoying i t , then that ’s the r ight way.”

For Jackson, the next life-changing step came a year later aged 17, when she had to organize a week of work shadowing. On a whim, Jackson and a friend used the latter’s e-mail account (few people had e-mail access at the time) to contact NASA, and by some stroke of luck, she and the friend were invited to spend two weeks at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, US. “We saw the neutral buoyancy lab where they trained astronauts. We even got into the building where they house all the Apollo lunar rocks, and to this day, I’ve not seen those since.”

But what Jackson r emembers most f r om t hat trip is the time she spent at mission control. “I sat next to Kathy Larson, who was working on a propulsion systems console – she was s hu t t l e f l i g h t c o n t r o l l e r , and t h e y we r e r unn i n g simulations for shuttle launches and aborts. And I just put the headset on, and I thought, ‘ This is i t…this is where I want to be.’ ”

After getting her A-levels in physics, ma t h s , f u r t h e r ma t h s and mus i c , J a c k s o n d i d a BSc in physics at Imperial College, London. She t hen enr o l l ed f or a Master ’s in aer onautics and space engineering at Cranfield University in 2002. Between the two degrees, Jackson did a summer placement at EADS Astrium (now Airbus), working with a team on synthetic-aperture radar imaging – indeed, her thesis research was also done with the group. At the end of her degree, the same group offered her a job. “While the work was interesting for a summer, it just didn’t excite me enough, so I turned them down, with nothing else on the horizon,” says Jackson.

As it happened, this was the right decision – Jackson put together a CV, which stated that she was looking to work specifically in

Physics World  Careers 2020

In association with brightrecruits

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