Out of this world civic engagement skills

By Sarah Devine

What careers do you associate with someone who works with outer space topics? Astronaut, scientist, NASA? But what does a career connected to space really mean? As Rebecca Meyers pointed out, career pathways can be opaque for young people, and careers linked to space endeavors are no different. 

Sure, there are astronomers studying objects and processes in outer space, engineers who build the spacecraft to take astronauts to space, and the astronauts themselves. However, did you know that 58.8% of astronauts have had a previous career in a military branch before becoming an astronaut or that 53% have experience being a pilot? So even being an astronaut is often a second career. 

The skills and careers linked to astronomy don’t stop with astronauts either, but hit almost every career sector of the US. More countries around the globe are growing their spacefaring capabilities, as are private companies. With more activity in space, how do these nations and organizations know how to work alongside each other civilly? 

A set of current, yet old, treaties and the more recent Artemis Accords have laid the foundation for operations in space that over 40 nations have signed. Yet navigating all this requires civic engagement skills such as communication, collaboration, problem-solving, community advocacy, and decision-making. As our society rapidly advances we need the people and countries in it to keep pace in peaceful ways, thus the importance of civic engagement in space exploration.

Youth development programs help youth build their civic engagement skills, putting youth at the forefront of their communities' needs, and bringing a wider diversity of perspectives to the table. In the not too distant future, these youth will be the community leaders, lawyers, and international representatives negotiating and writing new space treaties and determining how space and its resources are to be used and shared globally.

So with the upcoming launch of NASA’s Artemis mission to bring the first woman and person of color to the Moon, I hope you take a moment to think about how interconnected modern life and STEM fields really are and why science literacy is important for everyone. I also encourage you to get out and observe the Moon, maybe even use the Moon Observer lesson, as you think about what it takes to send the next humans to space.

-- Sarah Devine
Extension educator

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