How to shift from lorry driver to space engineer

The background of David Boutflore is as far away from the glamor of space launch as it is possible to imagine.

The 31-year-old worked in hospitality for nine years, becoming a general manager for gastro-pab in Cheshire. But this was not a real career for him. “I thought I could do more,” they say.

Mr. Boutflore was interested in space and aviation from an early age, referring to Concord as an initial inspiration.

A course from the University of Partsmouth caught his imagination – UK’s first space system degree was introduced in association with the BAE system.

To help to help pay for the syllabus, he switched to lorry driving – a step that did not prepare his social circle to change the direction.

“Everyone thought that I am lying when I said that I have been accepted in this course. They felt that I was pulling their legs, going from truck driver to space engineer!”

A four and a half year course includes on-the-world learning on sites where BAE systems have designed and assembled satellites.

They will study space system engineering back in Portsmouth.

The educational side of the course consists of four modules, in thermodynamics, programming, digital systems and maths, all lectures and laboratory are divided between time.

Mr. Boutflor has been included by four others on the training.

One of them is Alice Overnd.

The age of 21, she had already worked on satellite assembly and testing when she applied for PortSmouth Course.

This work included sick Prometheus 2 satellites which were lost during one Unsuccessful attempt to launch A satellite in space by Virgin Orbit in 2023.

This incident left a deep impression on him. “It was quite real, we were all watching the launch in the office and when the coverage was over, we just went home.”

The failed satellite launch is part of life in the space business. But the Virgin Orbit Los stuck in the minds of other Partsmouth students. It stands for the risk element in space work.

The background of Ms. Overnd in satellite tests has given her a head-start in terms of understanding how a huge UK space industry fits together. “The entire space area is going in a good direction.”

She explains the true meaning of the “space system” in her world.

“The system is about to ensure that everything is where it should be, such as the satellite weight is right.”

George Smith is the youngest in the group at the age of 18, and joined the course directly from A levels in Physics, Mathematics and Engineering.

In his hometown York, he and some friends separated an old lawn grass cutting machine to make Go-Cart out of the parts.

How did Go-Cart perform? “It only wanted to turn to the right, but we learned a lot about why it was not working.”

Everything in the search of space is not either a plan, but in this way practical work is an integral part of the course.

“Apprenticeship appealed to me. I think I have to study and implement lessons in behavior, this means that I learn better. So I was watching a degree apprenticeship and this course was a checklist of everything that everything. What I wanted to do. “

Space is an extended area and he wishes to go beyond the Earth’s atmosphere one day “if I can tick all the right boxes to become an astronaut”.

Right now the course is fulfilling their expectations. “To say that this is a dream true is true, but I’m in the door.”

Elizabeth Sevard is headed by space strategy in BAE Systems.

Despite her background as a physicist, Ms. Sevard feels that people are removed from the perception that it is especially for rocket scientists.

“The space is put on a chair. But the truth is that we need more people of other backgrounds. Here is for anyone interested in a career space, such as a project manager or lawyer.”

Space appeal is clear at the Heriot-Wat University in Edinburgh, where Dr. Stephanie Dutcherry Teaches Orbital Mechanics, how a satellite finds on the right path, as part of the aerospace course.

He agrees that expertise is less important than expertise in the space field. “Employers want the problem of solving a problem. And I have seen a real hunger from students for more space content in my course.”

Proposal to create rocket-launching site in remote places Such as Shetland Island Pisces more positions should open in the UK space industry in a very near future.

After the grounding of Space Shuttle in 2011, Mr. Boutflaler felt the space exploration “moved one step backwards.”

Now he says that the success of Alone Musk’s SpaceX reinstated launcher is quite important.

“Musk has again ignited the race of space”.

The three students agree that the curriculum is inspired by hand on the hands of the syllabus.

And what do they pick up outside the space course?

“Most of us play video games,” Mr. Smith says, Ms. Overnd nodded in the agreement.

Scuba diving is another popular pastime. “We all like gaming,” Sri Boutflore says, “and scuba diving is good training to work in space.”