Australia’s first female astronaut says studying space will help identify and manage bushfires and floods.<\/p>\n
Katherine Bennell-Pegg touted the importance of expanding Australia’s defence sector beyond the stratosphere, during her first few months in the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) ranks.<\/p>\n
She said the Australian Space Agency \u2014 where she is currently the director of space technology \u2013 worked “hand in hand” with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and other government agencies to “utilise” space to our best interests.<\/p>\n
“Space is ultimately just a place, like the ocean is a place. It’s an eye in the sky from which we can see phenomenon around the world, and activities across Australia,” Ms Bennell-Pegg said.<\/p>\n
“It’s how we can identify bushfires and floods and help to manage them, to look at algal blooms like we have in South Australia, [and] to manage remote industries.”<\/p>\n
Since graduating from the European Astronaut Centre in Germany, Ms Bennell-Pegg has been travelling the country, hoping to inspire the next generation of explorers.<\/p>\n
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Ms Bennell-Pegg experiences zero-G conditions during her training with the European Space Agency. (Supplied: European Space Agency)<\/p>\n
“It’s been really humbling since I came back from astronaut training to be out and about across Australia, both in my blue flight suit and my green flying suit, and just seeing the stars in young kids’ eyes,” she said.<\/p>\n
Ms Bennell-Pegg was appointed a specialist capability officer in the RAAF reserve in December, a move the ADF said would “greatly enhance” its capabilities.<\/p>\n
Ms Bennell-Pegg’s connection with the RAAF began 20 years ago, as an engineering intern working on the Air Force’s fleet of C-130 Hercules aircraft at the base at Richmond in Sydney’s north-west.<\/p>\n
‘You need more women in space’<\/p>\n
Raised on Sydney’s northern beaches and now living in Adelaide, Ms Bennell-Pegg completed her training with the European Space Agency last year, making her Australia’s first \u2014 and only \u2014 female astronaut.<\/p>\n
To date, just over 10 per cent of the world’s astronauts have been women.<\/p>\n
“We need all kinds of thinkers, all kinds of doers to identify and solve problems and make discoveries,” Ms Bennell-Pegg said.<\/p>\n
“In space, you’re a medical test subject as well\u2026 so for women on Earth to benefit, you need more women in space.”<\/p>\n