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We interviewed people working in Australia's space sector to find out what they do and how they got there. Read about their careers below.
Full profile: Carley Scott OAM, CEO of Equatorial Launch Australia
- Carley completed an Advanced Diploma of Business Administration at Chisholm Institute in 2001. In 2005, she graduated with a double degree from Monash University – Bachelor of Communications/Bachelor of Business/Commerce.
- She then held a series of economic development and tourism roles with a number of city councils in Melbourne.
- From 2015 to 2018, Carley was the CEO of Developing East Arnhem Limited in the Northern Territory. Here she worked with the local community and NASA to investigate opportunities in the space industry.
Full profile: Dr Andrew Thomas AO, NASA Astronaut (Retired)
- Andy completed a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering with First Class Honours, at the University of Adelaide in 1973.
- He then went on to complete a PhD in fluid mechanics in 1978.
- Wanting to see the world, Andy moved to the United States to work for Lockheed as a research scientist.
- After a decade at Lockheed, Andy moved to California to work at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab.
- He was selected for NASA’s astronaut corps in March 1992, at the age of 40.
Full profile: Prof Phil Bland, Director: Space Science and Technology Centre at Curtin University
- Phil studied a Bachelor of Science (Geology) at the University of Manchester, graduating with honours in 1991.
- He found a role as Curator of Meteorites at the Open University in the UK. While working there, he studied his PhD on the weathering of meteorites part time.
- Phil completed his PhD in 1994 and stayed with the Open University as a researcher for a few more years.
- He then spent a year in Perth working at the Western Australian Museum. This was funded by a Royal Society Overseas Research Fellowship.
Full profile: Dr Megan Clark AC, Former Head of the Australian Space Agency
- Megan completed a Bachelor of Science majoring in Geology at the University of Western Australia in 1981.
- She then spent 15 years at Western Mining Corporation in a number of roles. During that time, she also completed her PhD at Queen’s University in Canada and raised her daughter, Erin, and son, Elliot, with her husband, Trent.
- Megan’s next move was to another country and a different industry. She spent the next few years in Boston working in venture capital before returning to Australia to work with the Rothschild bank.
Full profile: Anthony Murfett, Deputy Head of the Australian Space Agency
- Anthony completed a Bachelor of Applied Science (Biotechnology) at the University of Queensland in 1999.
- He then completed an honours year in immunology at the Australian National University in 2001.
- Anthony’s first role was at the Australian Patent Office (now called IP Australia). He was a patent examiner for pharmaceutical patents before focusing on IP policy.
- After six years in the patent office, he moved to a role at the Australian Research Council (ARC). In this role, he coordinated the ARC’s $700 million funding program.
Full profile: Kate Ferguson Business Development Manager, InSpace
- Kate grew up in Wellington, New Zealand. She moved to Christchurch to study a Bachelor of Science (Physics) with honours at the University of Canterbury in 2010.
- She then moved to Canberra to take up her PhD at ANU. As part of her research, she built new technology for provably-secure quantum communication networks.
Full profile: Dr Kimberley Clayfield Leader, Space Technology Future Science Platform, CSIRO
- Kimberley studied an undergraduate degree followed by a PhD in mechanical engineering at the University of Adelaide.
- During her PhD, Kimberley also completed the International Space University’s Space Studies Program, majoring in space law and policy. Kimberley completed the ISU’s Executive MBA in 2012.
- In 2005, Kimberley joined the Department of Industry’s space policy section. Here she co-authored a proposal that led to the Australian Space Research Program in 2009.
Full profile: Eloise Matheson Mechatronics Engineer, CERN
- Eloise completed a Bachelor of Science (Nanoscience)/Bachelor of Engineering (Mechatronics/Space Engineering) at the University of Sydney in 2010.
- In 2011, Eloise took part in the inaugural Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program run by the International Space University and University of South Australia. She then went on to complete the Graduate Certificate in Space Studies at the University of South Australia.
Full profile: Bex Dunn, Earth Observation Scientist, Geoscience Australia
- Bex grew up in Wellington, New Zealand. She first visited Australia as a NZ delegate for the National Youth Science Forum in 2003.
- The following year, Bex moved to Sydney to enrol in the Bachelor of Engineering in Naval Architecture with Honours at the University of New South Wales.
- Bex graduated in 2008. The global financial crisis meant there was not a lot of demand for graduate yacht designers. Instead, she moved to Tasmania to do a PhD, but ended up bushwalking and sailing instead.
Full profile: Paul Sheridan, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Myriota
- After finishing high school in the early 1980s, Paul joined the Overseas Telecommunications Commission in their brand-new satellite division.
- He left OTC to work at Mitsubishi Electric, where he helped install all of Australia’s major city earth stations.
- In 1985 Paul joined Magnatech, which had won the contract to install satellite dishes at TV stations across Australia.
- Paul worked in a number of other satellite-related roles around Australia. He worked at Aussat and Mitec before joining Optus in 1994.