Katherine Bennell-Pegg

Katherine Bennell-Pegg (born 1984) is the first Australian Astronaut Candidate. She is presently undergoing initial Astronaut Basic Training at the European Astronaut Centre.[1][2][3] Upon graduation in early 2024, Katherine will be the first Australian-flagged astronaut and will be eligible to be selected for long-duration missions to the International Space Station and beyond.[4] Katherine is a dual Australian and British citizen.

Katherine Bennell-Pegg
Born1984
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
StatusUndertaking Astronaut Basic Training at the European Astronaut Centre with the 2022 ESA Astronaut Group
NationalityAustralian-British
Alma materUniversity of Sydney, (BEng(Hons))
University of Sydney, (BSc)
Cranfield University, (MSc)
Luleå University of Technology, (MSc)
OccupationAustralian Astronaut Australian Space Agency
Space career
Australian Astronaut
Previous occupation
Airbus UK
Airbus Defence and Space
Australian Army Reserves

Early life and education

Katherine was born in Sydney and grew up in the Northern Beaches area.[2][5] She completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), Aeronautical & Space Engineering and a Bachelor of Advanced Science majoring in Physics at the University of Sydney.[6]

She received a Erasmus Mundus full scholarship to study in Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom and the Netherlands as part of the Joint European Master in Space Science and Technology programme.[7] Under this program, she completed two master degree's in a Master of Science in Astronautics and Space Engineering at Cranfield University (1st prize shared) and a Master of Science in Space Technology at Luleå University of Technology.

She also conducted the Space Studies Program at the International Space University, along with an internship at the European Space Agency as a Thermal Engineer and an internship at NASA Ames designing a low-cost spacecraft development platform.

Katherine also served in the Australian Army Reserve for which she was awarded the Sword of Honour and the Sir Thomas Blamey Memorial Award.[8]

Career

Aerospace Engineer - Airbus

Katherine's first job after her MScs was as a Mission Systems Engineer at Airbus UK, working on a range of future missions and concept studies, including Martian in-situ resource utilisation (ISRU), future Remote sensing missions and Space debris removal. She also worked as a thermal architect on the LISA Pathfinder team during the thermal test campaign.

She was transferred to Airbus Defence and Space Germany in 2016 where she worked as a Project Manager and Systems Engineer of Advanced and Robotic Projects as well as being the Service Operations Lead for Bartolomeo International Space Station Platform.

Australian Space Agency

Katherine moved back to Australia to support the Australian industry and started her position as the Assistant Manager of Space Capability and Robotics & Automation at the Australian Space Agency based in Adelaide, South Australia. In 2022 she was promoted to the role of Director of Space Technology.

In 2022, Katherine delivered The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering Innovation Lecture.[8]

Australian Astronaut Candidate

Katherine applied to join the European Astronaut Corps as a British dual citizen in early 2021.[9] She was one of only 25 people to successfully complete the selection process from a total of 22,500 people.[10] The European Space Agency announced in March 2023 that Katherine will be trained as an Australian Astronaut at the European Astronaut Centre and her training is expected to conclude in May 2024.[11][12]

Once the training is successfully completed, Katherine will become the first person to become an Astronaut to represent Australia and will be eligible to be selected for long-duration missions to the International Space Station and beyond.[13]

Awards

In March 2023, she was named as the overall winner in addition to the winner of the Leader of the Year category at the Woman of the Year Awards in Adelaide.[14]

See also

References
  1. Sheedy, Chris (11 July 2022). "Space engineering lifts off". Create Digital. Engineers Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2023. "This is the first time NASA has launched from Australia since 1995," says space systems engineer Katherine Bennell Pegg, Director of Space Technology at the Australian Space Agency.
  2. Ntafillis, Viki (8 March 2023). "Adelaide woman to become first female to train as astronaut under Australian flag". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  3. "Australian astronaut candidate to receive basic training with ESA". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  4. Iannella, Antimo (8 March 2023). "Adelaide's Katherine Bennell to make history as first Australian woman to be internationally trained as astronaut". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  5. Strahan, Nicole [@10NewsFirstMelb] (8 March 2023). "Katherine Bennell-Pegg reaches for the stars" (Tweet). Retrieved 9 March 2023 – via Twitter. Sydney-born scientist Katherine Bennell-Pegg could soon be rocketing to the stars...
  6. "G'day space: Australia is "go" for launch". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  7. "SpaceMaster News". Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  8. "G'day space: Australia is "go" for launch". News & Opinion. The University of Sydney. 5 July 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  9. "Australian astronaut candidate to receive basic training with ESA". European Space Agency. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  10. "History made: Australian woman Katherine Bennell-Pegg to be trained as an astronaut by European Space Agency". Department of Industry, Science and Resources. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  11. "Australian astronaut candidate to receive basic training with ESA". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  12. "Adelaide woman to become first female to train as astronaut under Australian flag". ABC News. 2023-03-08. Retrieved 2023-10-20.
  13. Iannella, Antimo (8 March 2023). "Adelaide's Katherine Bennell to make history as first Australian woman to be internationally trained as astronaut". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  14. Polymeneas, Evangeline (7 March 2023). "Out of this world: South Australia's best recognised in Woman of the Year Awards". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2023. The sky was not the limit for the winner of the OCPSE Leader of the Year and overall winner, Katherine Bennell Pegg, who dreamt of being sent to space...
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