SARAH BLYDE: BRINGING MARS CLOSER TO EARTH

Not many people can say they’ve helped send a spacecraft to Mars - but one Kiwi woman will soon be able to. Sarah Blyde is a project manager at Rocket Lab, working as part of a team that designs and builds spacecraft for space science, communications, and other applications. This trailblazing wāhine kindly offered us a glimpse into a day in her life working on projects that are - quite literally - out of this world.

Sarah’s career at Rocket Lab began in the most unexpected of ways - during a casual drive around Tāmaki Makaurau one afternoon while visiting her family.

She’d come to New Zealand for a short trip to spend time with family during a four-year stint working in Western Australia. While out for a drive, Sarah noticed a familiar building now had a Rocket Lab logo on it.

“The space sector was having a resurgence at the time, with companies investing heavily in the sector. I thought it would be amazing to get involved. I just didn’t know how.”

That drive changed everything. She realised that New Zealand’s role in space exploration was growing, and that perhaps, her own journey could be part of that evolution. It gave her the confidence to leave her job aaa and move to France to complete a Masters in Space Studies.

Following that, Sarah began her career at Rocket Lab as a project engineer - where she worked on design changes for Electron: an active launch vehicle.

This was a role she loved - but her current position as a project manager, excites her most And for good reason - Sarah is currently working on ESCAPADE: a NASA mission to Mars.

At the time we speak, she’s living in Los Angeles and is a few weeks away from completing two spacecraft destined for Mars. As a project manager, Sarah has been responsible for overseeing the day-to-day efforts building and testing the spacecraft.

“Every day is different,” Sarah explains. “It depends on the phase of the programme we’re in and what we need to be doing. Regardless, a typical day will begin with a ‘tag-up’ meeting, where her team reviews the day’s priorities.

“We go through what we need to achieve and who’s responsible for each task,” she says. It’s also a chance to troubleshoot any potential issues before the team gets to work.

Some days, Sarah’s role is hands-on - whether that’s helping her team with tasks like lifting the spacecraft into different positions, working on the hardware, and even cleaning the spacecraft so it doesn’t carry any microbial contamination to Mars.

Other days are more strategic, involving detailed planning for the weeks ahead “We’re constantly moving fast,” Sarah notes.

“The progress is visual - you can actually see the spacecraft coming to life in front of your eyes.”

The success of any space mission relies on collaboration, and Sarah’s role is to coordinate the work of numerous specialists. “There are hundreds of people behind a mission like this,” she explains. “On a daily basis, I work with about 20 different engineers, each with their own area of focus.”

Amongst them are mechanical engineers - who ensure the structure can withstand the intense conditions of launch, avionics specialists - who focus on the spacecrafts computers, power systems, and communication equipment, and thermal engineers - who ensure the spacecraft can remain at a stable temperature in space’s extreme environment, where it can go from scorching heat to freezing cold.

At the center of it all is Sarah, coordinating the work between various engineers. “I interface with everyone, making sure we’re all moving toward the same goal.”

This level of coordination can be a challenge - but Sarah thrives on it. “I keep track of multiple workstreams and ensure nothing gets overlooked. I rely heavily on the leaders of different areas. We come together weekly to review progress, break down tasks into smaller chunks, and sequence our operations.”

A large part of her job, she explains, comes down to asking the right questions at the right time. “Do we have all the parts? Are the procedures in place? Do we have the people we need?” she lists. “It’s always about being proactive and thinking ahead.”

Though she’s in her fourth year on the job, Sarah acknowledges that there’s always more to learn. “It’s my first spacecraft I’ve built,” Sarah laughs “I came in with knowledge gaps, and that’s okay It’s actually been cool getting up to speed with those.”

I came in with knowledge gaps, and that’s okay. It’s actually been cool getting up to speed with those.

She reassures those who might feel intimidated by the steep learning curve that comes with the industry - “you’re not expected to know everything from the start.”

Sarah credits both her technical background and her creative approach for helping her succeed. “I’ve always been someone who enjoys looking at the bigger picture, rather than getting into the nitty gritty details,” she says. “It took me a while to realise that’s okay, and that we need people to look at the big picture as much as we need people to work on the details.”

Soft skills, she adds, are just as important as technical expertise. “You need both to be successful. Sometimes, it’s as simple as noticing that two engineers who need to talk aren’t, and stepping in to facilitate that conversation You need to be able to communicate, collaborate, and lead.”

As we wrap up our conversation, Sarah reflects on her journey and offers advice to younger women entering the field. “Stay open and stay curious,” she urges. It’s a mindset that has shaped her career.

Growing up, Sarah says she was interested in “everything." When it came time to apply for university, she didn’t know what she wanted to do. After applying for many different courses, she ultimately chose engineering because it seemed like the most challenging option.

“I ended up loving it,” she says. “It combined maths and science, which I was good at, with designing and creating things, which I loved.”

Thankfully she did - because that decision led her to where she is today. “It’s not always immediately clear what your path will be,” she reflects. “I’ve learned that it’s okay to try different things and figure it out as you go I followed my nose, found what I found interesting, and made decisions around that - looking for opportunities, claiming them, following them.”

In future, Sarah wants to be able to look back on the projects or missions she’s been part of, and be proud “This space sector is pretty new, and we’re only seeing the start of the space ecosystem. So much is possible, and I’m excited to be part of whatever might be ahead.”

Whatever that might be, Sarah hopes to help improve diversity in the sector. “It’s been cool to see the greater involvement of women in the space sector There’s historically been low representation, and I’d love to see that continue to change. I want to be part of communities to improve diversity in the sector.”

For now, Sarah’s off to continue working on the spacecraft - all in a day’s work.

SARAH’S ADVICE FOR YOUNG WOMEN INTERESTED IN STEM:

“Stay open and stay curious It may not be immediately obvious what kind of job you want to do It’s okay to try out different things It’s okay to realise you don’t like different things - that’s a good learning and can reveal what you do want.”