Alton College’s flagship Space & Satellite Hub recently hosted an exclusive guest lecture exploring one of the most pressing questions faced by the modern space industry – how do we balance space activity with responsibility to our environment?
This talk and session was delivered by Zoë Bowden, Director at Wren Junction, a sustainability and supply chain consultancy that works closely with companies across the aerospace industry. Zoë’s talk, ‘Rocket Launches and the Environment’, was aptly timed to coincide with growing global interest in space as a result of NASA’s recent Artemis II Moon Mission. This also provided students with an immediate real-world context for learning.
Zoë delved into her own career pathway through procurement and supplier management, explaining how sustainability is now a core consideration when selecting products and services across complex engineering programmes.
Her insights gave students an introduction to the realities of modern manufacturing, particularly how environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors are proving ever-more prevalent. These insights will prove vital in preparing Alton’s students for technical careers where environmental considerations are likely to be near the top of the agenda.
Students were able to explore the carbon footprint of a major rocket launch, using the Artemis II mission as a case study. This was brought to life through a bespoke educational video created by Airbus, one of Alton College’s major partners in the Space & Satellite Hub. This challenged assumptions around scale, frequency and impact of launches, allowing students to discuss the tradeoffs between exploration and environmental cost.
The talk concluded with a lively ethical debate about the potential for space regulation in the future, along with discussions about how some satellites can be used to help mitigate environmental degradation.
Reflecting on these discussions, Zoë said:
“It was fantastic to be back at Alton’s Space & Satellite Hub! Both the talk, and the video produced by Airbus, really challenged our assumptions about space exploration, and we had some great conversations about how satellite data helps us fight climate change here on Earth.”
This talk serves as the epitome of what HSDC and Alton College seek to achieve – preparing students for the jobs of the future in a cutting-edge learning environment. Alton’s Space Hub is the result of £500,000 worth of investment, and has proved instrumental in enriching the STEM education of many students since its launch in 2024.
With continued investment in specialist facilities and strong partnerships with space-adjacent organisations, Alton College is proud to remain at the forefront of preparing students for the future space and satellite workforce.