👩🚀 Equal Opportunity in Orbit: Insights from UNOOSA’s Space4Women Gender Equality Report
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Happy Friday, Space Enthusiasts! 🚀
Recently, Spire and Mission Control announced the Persistence Mission, which aims to push the boundaries of AI in space. The collaboration is an exciting example of how a public agency, an established industry player, and a start-up can work together to enable the testing of innovative technology in space. After the announcement, the Space Impulse team had the opportunity to sit down with Theresa Condor, COO at Spire to learn more about the mission.
UNOOSA also released the Space4Women study - a comprehensive analysis of data and insights from 53 public sector space organizations across 46 countries on gender equality in the space sector. The report was launched alongside the Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit, a practical guide for space entities looking to bridge the gender gap.
Read on to learn more about the Presistance Mission, key takeaways from the Space4Women report, and your weekly news round-up.
In this edition of the Space Impulse Newsletter, you'll find:
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Space News Highlight ✨
Spire Global, Mission Control, And The Canadian Space Agency Partner On AI-Driven Persistence Mission
At IAC2024 , Spire and Mission Control announced their latest initiative, the Persistence Mission. This mission aims to push the boundaries of AI in space, proving it can be done to enable faster data processing and decision-making through onboard AI. The mission is expected to launch no earlier than 2025, with the Canadian Space Agency providing 75% of the funding.
After the announcement, Space Impulse Director and Resonance COO , Robin Sie-Verbruggen had the opportunity to sit down with Theresa Condor , COO of Spire, to gain some insights on the upcoming mission and Spire’s unique offerings including Satellite as a Service for Space companies.
👩🚀 Equal Opportunity in Orbit: Insights from UNOOSA’s Space4Women Gender Equality Report
United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) 's Space4Women study on gender equality in the space sector includes insights from 53 public sector space organizations across 46 countries and offers the largest dataset to date on the representation of women in space agencies and public space institutions. Unveiled at IAC 2024 accompanied by the Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit, this report offers actionable steps toward bridging the gender gap in the space industry.
Breaking Down the Numbers
The Space4Women study reveals significant gender imbalances in the space sector. Globally, women account for just 30% of the workforce, with representation shrinking as roles become more senior. Women occupy only 24% of managerial positions, 21% of leadership roles, and just 19%of board seats.
In technical roles, the numbers are similarly low, with women holding less than 20% of positions in fields like engineering, research, and astronaut programs. Particularly striking is the fact that women make up only 11% of the global astronaut corps, limiting the understanding of female physiology and experiences in space.
Regional Variations: Africa Leads the Way
The report found that African countries are emerging as leaders in gender representation within the space sector. African states were shown to have the highest representation of women in space roles, with some approaching gender parity. The report notes that roughly a quarter of the countries surveyed have achieved at least 50%women’s representation in their space workforces. Similarly, about 25% of the countries surveyed have also reached at least 50% female representation in leadership positions.
Key Factors Affecting Gender Representation
The study also explores factors that correlate with higher representation of women in the space sector. Some of the most effective measures identified include:
Key Challenges
The data underscores long-standing issues: structural barriers in recruitment, retention, and promotion of women in the space sector. Factors such as unequal access to education, biases in hiring practices, and a lack of targeted support for women in technical and leadership roles are all contributing factors.
One of the major insights from the report is the impact of gendered stereotypes in STEM education, which starts early and influences career trajectories. These stereotypes not only affect recruitment but also manifest in pay inequity, limited professional development opportunities, and a lack of gender-sensitive policies in many organizations.
Actionable Steps: Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit
Addressing these challenges head-on, the Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit for the Space Sector serves as a practical guide for anyone aiming to close the gender gap. Developed in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency | Agence spatiale canadienne and other global experts, the toolkit outlines four key measures to advance gender equality:
1. Commitment at All Levels: This includes leadership buy-in and clear organizational policies on gender equality, ensuring accountability for progress.
2. Equal Opportunities in Recruitment and Promotion: Unbiased hiring practices and structural changes, such as gender-neutral job descriptions, unconscious bias training for HR staff, and equitable pay structures.
3. Dedicated Programs for Women and Girls: Creating mentorship programs, internships, and outreach initiatives that specifically target women and girls, encouraging them to pursue careers in STEM.
4. Measuring and Reporting Progress: Implementing regular reporting mechanisms with consistent data collection and analysis to evaluate progress and adjust strategies as needed.
Implications for the Commercial Space Sector
For space tech companies, investors, and industry analysts, the insights from the Space4Women study and the accompanying toolkit highlight critical areas for intervention. Addressing gender inequality isn’t just a moral imperative but also a business one. Diverse teams have been shown to improve productivity, drive innovation, and increase profitability. The space sector, with its inherent global collaboration and forward-thinking technologies, stands to benefit immensely from inclusive hiring and leadership practices.
Moreover, as the space industry continues to expand, so too does the demand for STEM talent. Ensuring that women have equal access to educational and career opportunities will be crucial to meeting this demand and advancing the sector’s growth. The toolkit’s actionable recommendations provide a clear path for companies looking to harness the full potential of their workforce while fostering a more inclusive space economy.
Gender equality in space is not just about representation—it’s about maximizing the industry's potential. By empowering women and other underrepresented groups, the space sector can unlock new perspectives, drive innovation, and better serve the needs of a rapidly changing world.
Looking for more insights and resources to learn about commercial, government, and academic space entities? The Space Impulse Market Intelligence Platform has captured data on the space tech industry's key companies, investors, universities and government organizations.
Space Industry Quote of the Week 🗣
“Talking about how we do, is as important as why we do and what we do.”
- Dr. Erica Rodgers, Director of Advanced Programs for NASA’s Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS), discussing the need for thoughtful, strategic policy that adapts to the evolving space ecosystem.
Weekly Space News Roundup 🌌
Umbra has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract by the Space Development Agency focusing on demonstrating the integration of Umbra’s commercial remote sensing capabilities into SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. Umbra’s technology will allow for data from areas of interest to be downlinked directly to tactical nodes, bypassing the need for a traditional ground terminal in the field. The main goal is to streamline access to critical data for a broader range of users and simplifies how space-based systems connect with ground networks.
The Indian government, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, has announced a dedicated Rs. 1000 crore Venture Capital Fund to accelerate the growth of India’s private space sector. IN-SPACe developed this initiative and aims to fund up to 40 space startups across the value chain, offering investment in early and late growth stages to promote job creation, technology advancement, and India’s competitive edge in the global space market.
The fund’s objectives are capital infusion, preventing talent drain, space economy expansion, and global competitiveness.
Millennium Space Systems, A Boeing Company , has secured an additional $386 million contract with the United States Space Force to deliver a second batch of six Missile Track Custody (MTC) satellites. Set to deliver the first six satellites by 2026 and the second by late 2027, Millennium’s MTC satellites will be equipped with advanced electro-optical infrared payloads developed by Boeing. These payloads provide high-resolution missile tracking and real-time onboard data processing, reducing response times between threat detection and action.
In addition to satellite production, Millennium has completed the critical design review for the MTC’s automated ground system.
The Space Development Agency has selected 19 non-traditional space companies to join its Hybrid Acquisition for Proliferated Low Earth Orbit pool. This selection aims to enhance the SDA’s ability to solicit and quickly award prototype demonstrations that support future stages of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. Each of the selected companies receives an initial agreement valued at $20,000, which helps cover administrative and travel expenses. However, the main opportunity for these companies lies in competing for future HALO demonstration prototype orders.
The companies selected include Airbus Defence and Space , AST SpaceMobile , CesiumAstro , Firefly Aerospace , Muon Space , Tyvak, a Terran Orbital Company , York Space Systems LLC , and more.
These future prototype orders will focus on rapidly demonstrating new technologies, with a goal of launching two identical satellites within 12-18 months of the award. The initial projects will target the Tranche 2 Demonstration and Experimentation System (T2DES), designed to reduce risks and demonstrate feasibility for future tactical data links and optical communication missions.
The U.S. Space Force has extended Northrop Grumman’s contract by $1.8 billion, bringing the total value to over $4.1 billion. This phase includes building, launching, and transitioning two polar-orbiting satellites into operation.
The first satellite launch is scheduled for 2028, with full operational capacity expected by 2031.
At a recent workshop hosted by the Hudson Institute and Space Foundation , U.S. lawmakers, military officials, and defense experts discussed the importance of hypersonic missile technology, emphasizing its role in maintaining national security and deterring adversaries. The participants highlighted the need for the U.S. to both develop hypersonic offensive capabilities and strengthen defenses against these advanced weapons, with international collaboration playing a crucial role. The workshop also stressed the importance of increasing the pace of hypersonic testing and leveraging public-private partnerships to advance development.
China has unveiled an ambitious 25-year space exploration plan with a goal to become a world leader in space science and technology by 2050. Jointly released by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, China National Space Administration (CNSA), and China Manned Space Agency, the plan outlines five major scientific themes and seventeen priority areas for breakthroughs. The plan notably prioritizes basic science over explicit military goals.
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