SPACE IN 60

Podcast: SPACE IN 60 Episode: LAURA FORCZYK Welcome to the SPACE IN 60 podcast, where Clint Graumann, Andrew Pylypchuk and Chad Baker bring you into the world of the new space industry! Today, Chad, Clint, Andrew are joined by guest Laura Forczyk, Owner and Founder of Astralytical. She also worked as Founder and Executive Director of the Georgia Space Alliance, manager at Swiss Space Systems, Scientific Research Analyst for the International Space Station U.S. national laboratory, author and mom. To kick off the conversation, Laura shares that her love of space began when she was in the third grade and dreamed of becoming an astronaut. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in astrophysics because she wanted to understand the beautiful phenomenons occurring in space. Her first job was at the ISS National Lab learning how we can use space, specifically the ISS, to benefit life on earth. Then, she highlights her upcoming book, Becoming Off-worldly, which helps individuals who aren’t able to be government astronauts prepare for future space travel. Last year presented such amazing opportunities for private individuals to travel to space, which gives Laura hope that regular people like you and I will be able to experience it in the future too! She shares tips for listeners interested in preparing themselves for space travel including both physical and psychological training. In addition to being a physicist, Laura is also a planetary scientist. She explains that planetary scientists study planetary bodies and the formation of the planetary system. Her chosen area of study is the moon, which many people consider a planet. Her graduate studies included both the pure science involved in understanding how lunar dust forms and the practical application of how it can be used. Lunar dust, she learned, is a sharp substance, terrible to breathe in and completely covers all space equipment. As there are now over 5,000 confirmed exo-planets outside of our solar system, we are getting a much more diverse look at planetary systems. Laura takes a broad approach when it comes to thinking about space, including practical things like GPS to futuristic things like Interstellar generational starships. We have been using space for six decades now and have only just truly begun exploring all of the things it can do for us on earth. Space is now becoming more commercialized and accessible to normal people around the world. She points to the need for countries to continue working together diplomatically in order to jumpstart complex and expensive projects like Mars exploration. Laura’s previous book, Rise of the Space Age Millennials, is currently being rewritten to include the accomplishments of GenZ. She feels that Generation Z is actually giving her even more hope for the things to be accomplished in the future of space! Links: Connect with Laura Forczyk and Astralytical. Connect with Clint Graumann on LinkedIn and Twitter. Connect with Andrew Pylypchuk on LinkedIn and Twitter. Connect with Chad Baker on LinkedIn Learn more about SPACE IN 60 and connect on Twitter.