Today, our guest is Susan Kilrain, someone who has not just pushed boundaries, but also defied gravity in the process. Starting her journey with a private pilot's license at age 17, Susan has navigated an incredible career path. Despite being denied a place in the Air Force because they’d fulfilled their annual quota of woman, Susan turned this setback into setups for greater achievements. She went on to become a distinguished American aerospace engineer, a United States Navy officer, and a NASA astronaut. Susan’s record as the youngest person to pilot a space shuttle, being only one of three women, still stands today. She has over 3,000 hours flight time under her belt, and was the recipient of the Defense Superior Service Medal. Yet, her impact isn't confined to her achievements in air and space. Susan is also a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, and a firm believer in the importance of education, encouragement and removing barriers for the next generation of the space industry,

Today’s guest is self-professed accidental space cadet, Heather Leser. Heather’s early career started in healthcare, but she navigated her business and management skills through retail, non-profit, and even marketing, until she landed a role as executive assistant to the CEO of Eta Space. It was here that she discovered her love for space, climbing the ranks to her current role as Chief Administrative Officer. Heather's unplanned voyage into space has shaped her calling, and she now cherishes her position in the industry. Aside from Eta Space, she also supports Laura Forczyk, a space consultant and career coach, utilizing her honed HR and administrative skills. As a people-loving individual, Heather embodies the range of skills needed in the space sector. Join us as we explore her journey from an accidental space cadet to a crucial industry player.

We’ve got a very special guest on the podcast this week – we’re sitting down with Melissa Quinn, the newly announced general manager of Seradata. Born and bred in the heartland of rural Canada, Melissa was immersed in the world of aerospace from a young age. From her small-town roots, her love for global aerospace markets and economics propelled her across the world to the prestigious London School of Economics. There, she earned a master’s degree in economics, laying the foundation for an extraordinary career. As an accomplished strategic leader with over 13 years in aerospace, Melissa is dedicated to shaping the industry with a vision that's both ambitious and purposeful. She's a strong influence in the push for the sustainable use of space for good, we well as passionate advocate of inspiring  the next generation to embrace STEAM careers. Melissa’s story is one of passion and perseverance - stay tuned as we delve into her incredible career journey and her vision for the future of the industry.

Fresh out of college and looking for work, Steve Nixon picked up the phone book and called the US Secretary of Defence. Flash forwards a few redirected calls, he landed his first job as an aircraft program budget analyst at the Pentagon. Seven years on, took a  role at Congress for the US House Committee on Appropriations, where he became immersed in the world of space. All thanks to that initial phone call, Steve went on to be named one of the top 10 most influential people in space. He later became the founder of IARPA, President of the SmallSat Alliance, CEO of specialized security company Koandah, a technology strategy consultant, and board member and advisor for multiple companies. In this episode, we explore the incredible details of Steve’s space career journey, as well as the power of curiosity, people and storytelling in the space industry.

In today's episode, we’re joined by Laura Forczyk, a renowned space consultant and career coach with nearly 20 years' industry experience. As the founder and executive director of Astralytical, Laura has made it her mission to help businesses, governments, non-profits, and professionals worldwide thrive in the fast-paced and fascinating space sector. With a lifelong passion for space and a background in astrophysics and planetary science, Laura has successfully transitioned her broad range of skills into her unique niche today. In this episode, we'll discuss Laura's journey into the industry, the invaluable lessons she's learned along the way, as well as the diverse and exciting roles available in the space industry to anyone with a dream.

Today on the podcast we’re joined by one of EVONA’s very own strategic advisors, Jeff Crusey. As an experienced deep tech venture capitalist, Jeff specialises in solving significant real-world problems in the realms of space, defence, climate, energy, cybersecurity, AR, VR, advanced computing, and beyond. Jeff is the founder and general partner of Farpoint, an early-stage deep tech venture capital firm, focussed on global security and resilience. Before Farpoint, Jeff was the investment director at Seraphim Capital where he worked on 20+ investment rounds for space tech startups. Seraphim partnered with AWS to create the AWS Space Accelerator, a four-week program providing resources to space startups worldwide. In this episode, we discuss Jeff's career journey and the lessons he learned along the way.

In today's podcast episode, we're joined by special guest Andrew Aldrin, son of Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin. Although he didn't initially plan a career in the space industry, Andrew ultimately found his way there and made significant contributions to the field. He currently serves as Program Coordinator for the innovative Masters of Space Operations program at the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, preparing students and mid-career professionals for successful careers in space. Andrew also passionately leads the Aldrin Family Foundation as President, a charitable organization focused on inspiring future generations to pursue careers in space and STEM fields. Join us as we explore Andrew Aldrin's journey.

Today on the podcast we’re joined by Michael Cassandra, co-founder and chief culture office of RocketStar. Based in New York, RocketStar are rethinking space travel from the inside out, starting by improving the engines that power us to the stars. With a strong focus on reusability, reliability, and minimising cost, their revolutionary Aerospike engines combine efficiency and power, providing between 25-35% more thrust over conventional rocket engines, without using extra fuel to do so. Mike is passionate about cultivating a company culture that brings people with a genuine passion for space exploration together. We discuss the importance of inclusion in a company’s mission to build a strong and diverse team, as well as the many non-technical roles the space sector has to offer.