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Meet the talent: Tamara Blagojevic, Space Court Foundation

Place of residence: Belgrade, Republic of Serbia

Position: Director of Internship Research at the Space Court Foundation, Independent Consultant and Career Coach

Please describe a day in your life:

My days usually start with a good coffee and at least 30 minutes of meditation, reflection, and planning, followed by reading up on the latest space and tech industry news and trends, as well as scouting for new bright minds, ideas, projects, or initiatives, then moving on to the regular work, starting from email follow-ups, and work calls. This is followed by ideating, drafting, or creating plans or strategies, developing projects and initiatives, or digital materials and products.

I love to break up my day by cooking healthy homemade meals and exploring or creating new recipes. After work, I enjoy rollerskating, occasional treatments in spas, engaging in creative writing, playing Duolingo, watching movies or documentaries, attending events, exhibitions, or workshops, and reading or listening to book summaries.

This all changes during Space Week or when there are multiple interesting space events to prepare for. In addition, since I work remotely with partners, collaborators, or clients in different time zones, I can pretty much choose the time zone and length of my work day as long as the job is done within the expected timeline. This allows me to work from the seaside, lakes, and mountains and, in general, to work and travel, which I often enjoy very much.

How many projects are you currently working on? Please describe them:

Just recently this year, I’ve been working on multiple different projects, which have finished during the fall. One such project is the International Astronomical Union Centre for Dark and Quiet Skies Protection (IAU CPS), Policy working group research project, where I collaborated on research and analysis of the international and national legal frameworks and regulations on the protection of astronomical activities from light pollution and satellite interference. Thanks to this project, I had the opportunity to present at the IAU Symposium held last summer in the Canary Islands, La Palma, Spain, where we also visited volcanos, telescopes, and observatories, stargazed and observed the skies together. Similarly, I presented for IAU CPS once more, but remotely, during the IAU General Assembly held in Cape Town, Africa.

The other project is under the umbrella of the Congress of Nations and States, where I chaired the Security Commission, meeting bi-monthly to gather input and positions of various representatives of indigenous peoples and nations, to strengthen their positioning, have their voices heard, concerns considered and expectations met, in the wider community. I have met many interesting, passionate, and active people there, and I am glad to have had the opportunity to support them in their fight towards more inclusive and equal protection and consideration of their needs and cultural norms.

In addition, aside from my regular engagement with the Space Court Foundation as the Director of Internship Research, engaging as a Consultant and pursuing other occasional collaborations in the space sector, I am currently developing certain initiatives independently, which are, however, for now still in stealth mode.

In your opinion, who is the most influential person/company in the world of technology these days?

I believe we all know the answer to this question – in the space sector, the most influential figures are well-recognized globally. However, having more direct visibility over the newer or smaller players, relatively speaking, I find myself more inclined to highlight their work. In addition, I am a strong believer in the fact that – it is the idea, or the mission and the vision that counts, rather than merely and solely, the individuals behind it.

Therefore, this is a hard one – working directly with innovators, scientists, and entrepreneurs. I am lucky to be surrounded by many amazing and bright people with novel ideas and solutions for the betterment of society. Different tech products and solutions cannot be rated or qualified outside of the context of their uses and applications. The US, no doubt, has the most developed space tech and NewSpace industry, with many strong players. In Europe – France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Luxembourg, and Switzerland have some well-established and strong players. Just for example, Luxembourg has Ispace, as well as other satellite and space logistics companies, while Germany has Rocket Factory Augsburg, Isar Aerospace, The Exploration Company, Exolaunch, HyImpulse Technologies, and many, many others.

Similarly, India is a fast-growing space sector, with Skyroot, Agnikul, Digantara, and so on paving the roads for innovation.

In addition, I am truly fascinated by the development and multiplication of applications of AI and robotics, especially when it comes to active debris removal technologies, so there is an inherent subjective preference for following such technological developments. Some such companies are, for example, Astroscale, D-Orbit, and Clearspace.

If you could pick one app/product/project existing now that you wish you were involved in, what would it be?

Due to the fact that the space industry is constantly growing and diversifying, I would highlight here the type of projects I could contribute to and that I’m interested in. Such projects would fall under the scope of emerging and developing industry and sector capacity building, which would contribute to a more equal and inclusive availability of opportunities and access to the space sector for emerging entrepreneurs and young professionals alike.

I enjoy contributing to the creation of new solutions or innovative approaches to advance protective mechanisms and their implementation, so I would also enjoy contributing to any country’s space industry or space law and regulatory framework development. Similarly, as I enjoy connecting people with opportunities and helping them navigate the industry, I’d love to join more projects that contribute to the professional and career development of young professionals in the space sector through education, consultancy, coaching, mentoring, event organizing and participation, resource identification and opportunity matching. Finally, any project contributing to the peaceful and sustainable uses of outer space would absolutely align with my values and beliefs.

How do you see technology evolving in the next ten years?

My hopes are the development towards the creation and market viability of solutions and products that contribute to greater sustainability of uses of outer space without diminishing positive effects on planet Earth. The further diversifications of space tech applications, coupled with progressive technological developments, as well as the multiplication of players, should hopefully lead to a more inclusive and fair market in the long run. However, while space is still dominated by the market giants such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic, and similar, the current question is whether the supply and demand will be balanced, and if investor’s risk aversion might change in the near future – or in other words – when will we truly have a more open, inclusive and sustainable space economy?

I’d also hope to see more standardized industry approaches and more inclusive and diversified stakeholder engagement. When it comes to the progressive development of AI, I hope to see appropriate, but not too stringent, regulation and timely ethical considerations in its applications. It’s all about balancing the variety of interests and benefits for different stakeholders and interest groups. For all of this, more transparency and collaboration are needed, and more frequent and timely exchange of multidisciplinary and inter-disciplinary best practices and know-how through open dialogues and discussions.

What would you like the industry to look like in ten years?

At the risk of not sounding too idealistic, I’d truly love to see less extremism on either end and, instead, see a more realistic, practical approach with viable and sustainable solutions coupled with transparent, cooperative, and inclusive mannerisms in doing business. In addition, it would be nice to see a better reconciliation between the pillars of sustainable development – having a more balanced approach in consideration of each of its pillars, e.g. with the human and social component reflected in human rights, the environmental component reflected in making the commercial solutions more sustainable (without greenwashing), and finally, the commercial component, made human and nature friendly, by accounting for the future and long-term effects.

In other words, I’d like to see more transparency, cooperation, and inclusion of various stakeholder opinions as well as minority groups and diverse voices, less talk and more doing, less repetition of the same promises, less focus merely on criticism and issue identification if not followed by a proposed solution, less stringent approaches and a more flexible approach to regulating new technologies in a timely manner, balanced with protection of the human, resources, and asset components, and better, timely and more efficient dynamics in solution implementation.

Of course, I would like to see more spacefaring countries, more new emerging space professionals and actors with great ideas and minds, with equal access to space and opportunities available to them in the space sector. It goes without saying that I would like to see space technology more often being used for the betterment of society rather than in conflicts. Similarly, I’d like to be able to see the skies again, with the orbit decluttered or debris mitigated, or at least know that there is a lower risk of collisions and or tested and demonstrated mechanisms to ensure that such risks can in the near future be significantly decreased.

What are the three characteristics you have that make you successful in tech?

I believe that one has to follow tech and industry trends and developments regularly, and continuously develop their skills through learning and knowledge exchange, or even using and testing such technologies. In other words, there is no better way to learn than through observation and demonstration – testing in practice. Word of mouth and live demos at tech and space exhibitions, along with reading industry reports, as well as manuals and guides, are the best ways to understand the market demand for the technology in question. To keep pace with the ever-developing field, it is very helpful to attend industry events and talk to the key stakeholders, regulators, scientists, entrepreneurs, creators, and investors to understand the current dynamics and demand and have an idea of the feasibility and viability of certain technologies in current conditions.

Aside from being informed, continuous learning, knowledge-sharing, and networking, it goes without saying that trusting your gut, believing in your vision, and risk-taking are things that you have to accept and get used to.

Finally, the space industry is very dynamic, and so to say -colourful”, and one cannot properly advise, protect, or regulate something if one doesn’t attempt to understand the science or technology in question. That being said, having a holistic, multidisciplinary approach in research and education is what I find almost a prerequisite.

Transforming this into characteristics – a curious, creative, and persistent risk-taker, would probably sum it up.

What is the most challenging thing you had to deal with during your career?

The space sector is very competitive, with an astonishing number of specialists and experts. For me, the most challenging thing I had to do was “break the ice” and finally “exit the shadows” or “show my face in space” as I colourfully explained it to my friends and colleagues. Coming from a non-EU, non-ESA, non-NATO, and non-spacefaring nation, many opportunities were just not there at the time. So, for me, at first, space was a sector I observed in awe from a distance and for a while. Meanwhile, I was continuously learning, reading, and preparing…until I felt I was ready to “appear” and was invited to author pieces and publish (author, write, blog, collaborate), appear as a presenter and speaker at various events, and engage in international projects with space industry experts.

What is your greatest achievement up until today?

Being actively engaged and recognized in the space sector and collaborating with passionate experts, humanitarians, and scientists, it would be really hard to pick just one thing. If I had been asked this a couple of years ago, I might’ve said – authoring my first book chapter. As busy as life gets when you get more integrated into the industry, today, I would say the achievements of the interns I mentored and the gratitude behind them are what I consider achievements.

A more general formulation would be to be able to help others join the community and get access to resources and opportunities that were hard for me to get to in the early years. Therefore, my greatest achievement, in a more general formulation, would be the ability to engage in areas that contribute to the betterment of society and to continuously create value for society by collaborating with other amazing minds.

What is your next goal?

I want to continue speaking up and advocating for causes I believe in and supporting emerging players and young space professionals entering the space industry.

It goes without saying that my plan includes moving my own ‘stealth mode’ initiative forward and engaging and collaborating on it with some very bright young professionals – but I’m not ready to disclose this one publically yet, so stay tuned…

What tips do you have for people wanting to start in the tech world?

Identify your true passion and see how it relates to the current challenges and issues in the world. Identify your skills and strengths, see how they fit within the industry areas, and how they respond to the current market demand. Then, develop your niche, fill the potential knowledge gaps, and start planning how to practically develop your idea into a service, solution, or product. Then, search for like-minded people who can fill your gaps or complement your skillset. Network, observe, learn, challenge yourself, and always question if there is a better, more efficient, and more viable method to achieve your end goal. But never give your full “Coca-Cola recipe” in its entirety to others too early, entrusting them with the key components to your solution or product idea without first ensuring you could do the same without them or that they cannot take your solution to market without you.

Always have a plan B in place and a way to pivot out of what you have or diversify and find other applications for your tech or solutions. Lay out a plan for yourself to be able to have an overview of key goals, milestones, action items, and deliverables so that you can have a true awareness of all requirements and steps for success. Continuously learn to be the best version of yourself, and take input and guidance from more experienced specialists in the area. If in doubt, do not give up – try, and try again. Focus on your vision and stay true to your beliefs, that is the key to success, and that attracts real opportunities.

Persistence and perseverance will eventually bear fruit, so trust the process, which is often followed by tests and challenges. The way forward is almost always going to be risky and bumpy, and if your idea is too different and not yet understood by others, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is wrong. Sometimes, you just might be too early or too far ahead… but you will never know until you try and test it, right?

If you could say something to your younger self, what would it be?

Just take that leap and just do it. Keep moving forward and trust your intuition. If you are surrounded by people who don’t understand, cannot support you, or do not believe in your ideas, don’t let that stop you – rather, explore to see what’s out there, test your boundaries and limits, risk it, and go try to find your community. You will never know what is behind that door if you don’t try to open it. You might be surprised when you see how many people with similar pathways are there and how many great thinkers are waiting to talk to you. Start your journey to the unknown, and do not look back until you get there.

Which famous person would you like to have dinner with and why?

Outside of the space sector, due to watching the recent documentary about her, and because I am inspired by strong entrepreneurial women, and I love to cook – Martha Stewart. From the space sector, I have recently had the pleasure to briefly meet the astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti at two conferences. I remember being very inspired watching her on YouTube. Furthermore, I have also followed the work of Jonathan McDowell, but I have only had the pleasure of listening to him speak at an online course a couple of years ago. I also find it would be fun to speak to Neil deGrass Tyson.

These are just some of the many people I’ve either met or would like to meet live. Again, it is hard to choose because, to be honest, the space sector is still considered a bit of a closed bubble, or niche, from the outside, and there are just too many people within the space-tech world I’d love to meet live, but, I don’t want to be picky and choosy – you can learn different things from different people, and you never know whom you’ll meet next at a space event.

Where would you like to travel next?

I’d definitely love to visit Morocco, as it has been on my list for quite some time. This also stands for the exploration of the African continent in general. I’d also love to travel to Iceland and North America.

Do you have a person who influences or motivates you?

Many different amazing people from the sector motivate and inspire me, so it would be difficult to choose one. However, I do not really have “idols”; rather, it’s the ideas that inspire me, as I have always preferred supporting different causes rather than just following leaders. The people who I admire and who motivate me know who they are as I work with them or follow and support their causes.

What did you dream of creating/inventing/doing as a child?

I remember watching the spider poison dissolve the plastic on a hair comb I was using as a very young girl (before primary school) and trying to understand the reaction of plastic to poison. Also, I remember catching ice after a hailstorm and letting it dissolve in various substances and drinks, seeing how it differs. I remember watching the skies, trying to differentiate satellites from other phenomena and objects on the skies, hoping to see UFOs (ha-ha!). I also used to love “arts and crafts”, so I often created house ornaments or practical tools from leftover materials, such as clay, wax, wrapping paper, or boxes. Later on, as a young adult, I enjoyed supporting and helping others, though teaching them various things and in any other way I knew how and was able to.

So, my childhood ideas grew into a passion for exploration, investigation, discovery, sustainability, and humanitarian work. The idea of engaging in a community of innovative creators, as well as humanitarians and altruists, contributing to the betterment of society and protecting our Planet was what propelled me to join the space sector and become more active. So, my dream did come true. I now focus on supporting young professionals in accessing the space sector and creators and innovators in making their ideas feasible and viable. It is quite empowering being connected to people who, at least in great numbers, have a similar goal – to protect the Earth, contribute to society, protect the skies, natural resources, and nature’s creations as we continue our journey of exploring the cosmos.

As mentioned before, I do have some stealth projects of my own that have been slightly delayed due to my other engagements and for which it might be too early to discuss publicly.

What advice do you give to young girls who want to follow similar careers?

You can only win or lose if you actually join the game. Trust your gut, follow your instincts, stick to your vision, and believe in yourself. Your dream won’t come true unless you do something about it… the road often needs to be paved by none other than you. So, do not be afraid to explore the paths less travelled. Even if you don’t succeed at first, that is also a lesson or an indicator that you should pivot or diversify. It can also be an indicator that you might become an innovator or even a visionary or that your idea might be too early for its time. You won’t know until you try. Don’t let other people’s opinions created within their own awareness circles, safety nets, or bubbles stop you from pursuing something different.

Andriani has been working in Publishing Industry since 2010. She has worked in major Publishing Houses in UK and Greece, such as Cambridge University Press and ProQuest. She gained experience in different departments in Publishing, including editing, sales, marketing, research and book launch (event planning). She started as Social Media Manager in 4i magazine, but very quickly became the Editor in Chief. At the moment, she lives in Greece, where she is mentoring women with job and education matters; and she is the mother of 3 boys.