Talk us through an average day in your role
SES has nearly 70 satellites in space, in both the geostationary (GEO) and medium earth (MEO) orbits. We have a team of almost 50 satellite controllers working in our satellite operations centres in Betzdorf, Luxembourg and in the United States in Bristow, Virginia. The controllers actively monitor and control our satellites and ensure everything is working correctly on these spacecraft. Together with our engineering teams, they take the necessary steps to address any issues that might occur.
As SES’s senior manager of space operations training, I oversee the company’s strategy and programmes associated with the training for our satellite controllers. This includes our engineering-driven certification process and a training program that fulfils all the requirements the controllers need to do their jobs. It’s an exciting and challenging role since space technology is always changing, and our customers, including broadcasters and others in the media industry, rely on us to offer satellite-based content delivery and connectivity 24/7 for their businesses and their customers.
When you prepare satellite controllers to take over control of a spacecraft, a key aspect of the training is to make sure that they have all relevant information at their fingertips in due time. A second, but equally important, part of our job is to make sure that the new controllers feel 100 per cent confident to do the job when being in charge. To assess whether the required level of comfort and confidence is reached, I usually observe how controllers engage with a satellite and its systems by being in the same room and looking over their shoulder. Collecting this kind of non-verbal information is of the utmost importance before engaging into the final assessment, where their system level understanding, both practical and theoretical, is tested.
How did you get started in the media industry?
I grew up in Germany surrounded by many family members who were educators, so I’ve always had a natural curiosity and desire to learn about new things, including maths and science. That evolved into a deeper interest in physics, engineering and space, and I eventually got my university degree in electrical engineering.
My academic focus on science led me to SES and my first job out of college 20 years ago as SES’s first female satellite controller. This is also how I was introduced to the media industry as I was managing some of the company’s GEO satellites delivering TV content to homes across Europe. To this day this remains a key market for us as SES works with TV and multi-screen content providers around the world to deliver content and services to their customers via satellites, including our newest ASTRA 1P that launched earlier this year.
What training did you have before entering the industry?
Although I had my engineering degree, I didn’t have any practical experience with satellites or space or the media industry. Much of what I know today has been “on the job” learning, our specialised training and my personal curiosity about space and how things work. Taking that initial leap, and SES believing in me from the start, were both pivotal for me in getting started in this industry and in shaping my entire career so far.
Why do you enjoy working in the industry?
My role at SES brings together all the things I love – science, space, education and training. On top of that, satellite and space technologies are always advancing, so there’s a constant need for our team and I to continue to grow our knowledge. Nothing motivates me more than helping our controllers learn and develop the skills they need to keep our multi-orbit satellite fleet operating seamlessly.
We’re also working with customers across a wide number of industries – from cloud, energy, aviation, maritime and enterprises to media broadcasters and content providers – all of which have unique requirements and demands, which keeps things interesting. But they all have one thing in common too – they rely on us to deliver fast, reliable satellite-based connectivity that is crucial to their business.
What piece of advice would you offer someone looking to explore a role similar to yours?
For anyone starting jobs in various technical fields – follow your passion and keep learning and expanding your skills and look for companies that will recognise, support and value your contributions. I’ve been fortunate that SES is such a place. Not only did they hire me as the company’s first ever female controller, but they supported my continuing education as I received an advanced physics degree, and then promoted me to my current role overseeing all satellite controller training.
