Katherine Bennell-Pegg

Katherine Bennell-Pegg is an Australian aerospace engineer.[1][2]

Career

She has been the director of space technology at the Australian Space Agency since March 2022, based in Adelaide, South Australia.[2]

Bennell-Pegg is preparing to undergo training to become an astronaut at the European Space Agency in Germany, after having applied to join the European Astronaut Corps as a British dual citizen in early 2021.[3] She was one of only 25 people to successfully complete the selection process from a total of 22,500 people.[4]

Her training to expected to conclude in May 2024.[2] If successfully completed, Bennell-Pegg will become the first Australian woman to become an astronaut and will be eligible to be selected for missions to the International Space Station.[5]

Bennell-Pegg was born in Sydney and grew up in Northern Beaches area.[2][6] She has had a lifelong ambition of becoming an astronaut despite there being a lack of female representation in the astrophysics field.[2][7]

Prior to joining the Australian Space Agency in 2019 as the assistant manager of space capability, robotics and automation, Bennell-Pegg served in the military for which she was awarded the Sword of Honour and the Sir Thomas Blamey Memorial Award.[8]

She completed master's degrees at the Luleå University of Technology and Cranfield University as part of the Joint European Master in Space Science and Technology programme[9] as well as courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Oxford before gaining experience at NASA, the European Space Agency and Airbus.[8]

In 2022, Bennell-Pegg delivered The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering Innovation Lecture.[8]

In March 2023, she was named as the overall winner in addition to the winner of the Leader of the Year category at the Woman of the Year Awards in Adelaide.[10]

References
  1. Sheedy, Chris (11 July 2022). "Space engineering lifts off". Create Digital. Engineers Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2023. "This is the first time NASA has launched from Australia since 1995," says space systems engineer Katherine Bennell Pegg, Director of Space Technology at the Australian Space Agency.
  2. Ntafillis, Viki (8 March 2023). "Adelaide woman to become first female to train as astronaut under Australian flag". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  3. "Australian astronaut candidate to receive basic training with ESA". European Space Agency. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  4. "History made: Australian woman Katherine Bennell-Pegg to be trained as an astronaut by European Space Agency". Department of Industry, Science and Resources. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  5. Iannella, Antimo (8 March 2023). "Adelaide's Katherine Bennell to make history as first Australian woman to be internationally trained as astronaut". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  6. Strahan, Nicole [@10NewsFirstMelb] (8 March 2023). "Katherine Bennell-Pegg reaches for the stars" (Tweet). Retrieved 9 March 2023 – via Twitter. Sydney-born scientist Katherine Bennell-Pegg could soon be rocketing to the stars...
  7. Livingstone, Tom (8 March 2023). "Australian astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg's message on International Women's Day". 9Now. Nine Entertainment. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  8. "G'day space: Australia is "go" for launch". News & Opinion. The University of Sydney. 5 July 2022. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  9. "SpaceMaster News". Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  10. Polymeneas, Evangeline (7 March 2023). "Out of this world: South Australia's best recognised in Woman of the Year Awards". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 9 March 2023. The sky was not the limit for the winner of the OCPSE Leader of the Year and overall winner, Katherine Bennell Pegg, who dreamt of being sent to space...
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