Gould points to teams at Goonhilly Earth Station, the satellite communications centre that supported the Artemis mission, as proof that “space work was not just something that happens in America”.
“Although it seems very far away, actually it’s been really nice to be able to connect it back to how we are connected to it in Cornwall,” she said.
Gould is also keen to break down myths about who works in space: “The people that went up into space, they came from a mixture of backgrounds, pilots, engineers and scientists.”
For TECgirls showing where those careers begin is key.
Its Reach for the Sky festival, external, the aviation and aerospace festival for girls, has been held for the last three years at Spaceport Cornwall, the £20m centre for space and aeronautics near Newquay.
Interest in the latest event on 20 and 21 June, had been overwhelming, she said.
“We almost sold out within the first week on our Saturday, so we’ve had to make it Saturday and Sunday because so many young people and their families are interested in this and want to learn more.”
The festival brings together universities, employers, colleges and training providers and Gould said there were a range of career paths routes on offer through universities, apprenticeship opportunities and local colleges.
Families play a key role too. Gould said parents did not always realise these careers were realistic options for their children.