Ask HN: How to get into the space industry as citizen from 3rd world?

16 points by sejiss 9 years ago | 6 comments

I'm a web dev in my mid 30s and my country doesn't have a space program. I've always been fascinated by space but it was never a realistic nor possible route in my youth. Now that I'm somewhat settled in my current career, I wonder if it's possible to pursue breaking into the space industry.

Specifically, I _want_ to go to space. But I am willing to settle for a career that helps send people into space and hoping to get a trip as a retirement gift before I die.

techjuice 9 years ago |

You may be able to help, but may require you to move and apply for citizenship in a country that has a very mature space program due to ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulation) and EAR (Export Administration Regulation). After you do get citizenship you might be able to work for a private space company (e.g. Tesla) but if you want to work for a government agency or government contractor you will have to eventually get a security clearance.

Now with that out of the way, you would need to look around at the jobs available and check to see if you meet the requirements for the type of work you want to do. If not you can start working on those skill sets now so you may be eligible later on to apply for the job.

I would recommend using your web development skills to help you get in the door as you work on enhancing the skill sets you want for other opportunities.

sand500 9 years ago | |

You only need a green card to work on ITAR restricted materials at companies such as SpaceX

notahacker 9 years ago |

Since your country doesn't have a space programme and based on what you've told us of your background you're probably not particularly likely to get a visa to go and work (or study to work) on somebody else's, I'd probably try journalism/blogging related to the space industry.

If nothing else, it's an outlet for your interest. But if you start writing really well-researched stuff on space company supply chains, rocket technology and the missions/experiments that aren't mainstream news, people in space companies might start to notice your passion. And they're going to be spending a lot more on PR if/when they start making space travel accessible to the paying public in future. The aerospace media companies' (Flightglobal/AvWeek) space output is pretty weak and they have been known to acquihire bloggers too.

If using space related byproducts (satellite images etc) is space related enough to excite you then there's plenty of future money and scope for outsourcing to your country in geospatial analysis etc too.

sand500 9 years ago |

You would definitely have to do a pivot into more hard aerospace engineering field. If your country try has a defence industry, you could work for them in improving their missile technology (our early rockets were just missiles anyways).

The other option is to get rich and then just found your own space company

wnkrshm 9 years ago |

You could try to get into studying aerospace engineering in a nation with ties to ESA. I've seen students go straight into industry-related jobs from being good assistant researchers here (Germany) - of course there'd be the age gap. I've personnaly seen people getting into those in their 30s (doing their thesis in an applied research institute closer to industry).

The university even had voluntary student programmes that were designing microsatellites (which actually got built and sent to space) and you could join the teams if you simply were up to it and put in the effort.

foobar_yc00 9 years ago |

it is very very unlikely that you will achieve this in your current life. lol. the easiest approach for you is to get rich and buy a ticket to space. ( e.g. like the south african guy who created ubuntu he paid millions of USD to go to space)