Before attending the 12th Annual Space Traffic Management Conference at UT Austin, I was certainly a bit nervous. I’d never met any of the other Higher Orbits girls before, nor attended a conference with Ms. Michelle. However, as soon as I got to the hotel room, I was absolutely stoked to find the conference program with a kind handwritten note from Ms. Michelle on it, a bag of candy, and lots of stellar space swag!! I immediately felt welcomed by Higher Orbits. That night, I went downstairs to meet the other girls. I was apprehensive at first. I felt like they were all more experienced than me, and I knew that Bri and Kiara already knew each other, and Bri and Eva were both from Midland, so I was concerned I wouldn’t really be included. Ms. Michelle had us introduce ourselves and afterward turned to me and said, “These girls will become your sisters.” I’m delighted to say that she was so right. Kiara, Bri, and Eva would turn out to be some of the most kind, inclusive, hilarious, genuine, and intelligent people I will ever meet.
That night we headed to the speaker dinner, where I had my first chance to network with other people attending the conference. I sat across from a Scottish man living in Canada, who ran a Space Situational Awareness (SSA) data company. I really appreciated the opportunity to learn from many international aerospace professionals throughout the conference. I listened to French, Italian, English, and Dutch people's perspectives. I thought that the Londoner’s comments were especially insightful and made me think outside of the box. I loved how people embraced different ideas, encouraged questions, and spoke to people of all ages with interest and sincerity. Even though I’m a sophomore in high school, and many of the topics and language used were at a higher level than I am used to, I felt that for the most part I was able to follow along and digest what everyone was saying. The conference was organized into five chronological themes, starting with the current state of space traffic management, and ending with our hopes and goals for the future. Between those, they discussed space traffic management’s effect on airspace, which as someone who’s into aviation, I found very interesting. I went into this conference knowing two things about space traffic. There’s a lot of space junk. It’s bad for the environment. I ended the conference with a wonderful wealth of knowledge and a newfound passion for policy and sustainable space traffic management. This conference taught me how the best solutions are born from an interdisciplinary approach. It amazed me to see so many lawyers, engineers, policymakers, researchers, and company leaders come together to share ideas, ask questions, and collaborate on creating a more economic, safe, and sustainable future for space exploration.
The Higher Orbits panel discussion was set in the afternoon of day one. Never having presented to such esteemed people before, and not knowing what questions Ms. Michelle or the audience may ask me, I was very nervous. However, I talked through my slides and answered each question to the best of my ability. I eagerly listened to Bri, Eva, and Kiara’s stories. After it was all over, I was surprised by the overwhelming support and interest that everyone showed. It seemed like many people wanted to talk with us and get a picture with us. In a space where we could have easily been dismissed, I really appreciated how so many industry professionals spoke to us with genuine curiosity, valuable insight, and real authenticity. Before the conference, I was worried about people acting pretentious and standoffish. Instead, I was met with a room full of people dedicated to getting to know one another and taking every opportunity to network.
On the night of the first day, the Higher Orbits group went out to dinner at the famed Pappasito’s. I enjoyed a tasty burrito with some delicious chips dipped in queso. However, my favorite item may have been the genuine brewed sweet tea. After all, I am a Floridian. Now, besides the great food (which was enjoyed throughout the conference), the team dinner ended up an educational, inspiring, and insightful experience. From lifelong advice from Ms. Michelle to talking with Bri about pilot licenses, the dinner was nothing short of amazing. Plus, it was followed by the most intense and strategic game of Connect 4 I have ever played (and won!).
On day two of the conference, I finally gained the courage to ask a question. The panel discussion included talk about how to use AI for space traffic risk assessment. I raised my hand, and a UT Space Force cadet handed me the mic. I acknowledged that we were trying to use AI as a tool to help us manage space traffic, and we’ve also emphasized environmentalism throughout the conference, so how do you balance the benefits of AI with the environmental impact of huge data centers? I really appreciated how positively everyone reacted to my question, and there seemed to be a lot of conversation surrounding it in the next break session. I heard some very insightful and even out of the box comments in response to it. Should we build data centers in colder climates? Or even in the tunnels of the moon? Or like cars, will it take years of the current AI craze to die down for industry leaders to take a step back and refine their systems to operate more sustainably? I found it so exciting and interesting to listen to each person’s viewpoint and proposed solutions. It made me so enthusiastic and eager to continue studying and one day work in the aerospace field. Additionally, all of the conversations surrounding international space relations and policy impassioned me to add a Political Science major to the Astrophysics and Astronomy major I already hope to obtain from the University of Florida. Although, this conference did make me interested in attending UT at Austin (Keep Austin weird!). Also, I heard that Bri is creating an AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) chapter at her college and neighboring high school, which inspired me to create an AIAA chapter at Ridgeview High School. I’ve already begun securing interest and a sponsor for next year!
I arrived in Austin not knowing what to expect, but I left Austin with so much more knowledge, curiosity, inspiration, and passion toward every aspect of space traffic management. As my closing remarks, I want to thank Ms. Michelle for offering me this stellar opportunity, I want to thank every attendee who spoke to us with value and respect and offered their insights and advice, and I want to thank Kiara, Bri, and Eva for being so welcoming, kind, and inspiring. ‘Till next time!
Written By Stellar Student Amelia “Josie” Choulat
