Space is hard. Rachel O’Connor is trying to make it easier.
As a systems engineer at Orbit Fab, the 28-year-old is working on orbital refueling tech that will improve operations for those already in orbit and provide new opportunities for innovative systems looking to launch for the first time.
Road to Orbit Fab: O’Connor planned to work at Ball Aerospace for a year right out of undergrad—but quickly became “transfixed” with the work and ended up spending more than five years on missions ranging from conducting telescope architecture studies to developing a concept of operations for planetary instruments.
She also earned an MBA from the University of Colorado—something she pursued “when I realized that a space career in a Star Trek utopia doesn’t yet exist, so I needed to learn about the financial and sales side of things.”
Since joining Orbit Fab in late 2023, she has driven more than $4M of revenue in just under six months, according to Orbit Fab Chief Engineer Kevin Smith’s nomination. This is due in part to her holistic understanding of what it takes to bring complex projects to completion, and a collaborative approach to driving missions forward.
“I’m able to put myself in the mind of the end data user when thinking about a technical design trade, or in the position of a design engineer when selling a product. While depth of knowledge absolutely serves a vital purpose, breadth of knowledge can be a powerful force for change,” Rachel told Payload.
Space for all: O’Connor also works tirelessly to make sure the space industry is a welcoming place for everyone. She has served on disability advocacy and information panels to promote more accessible, inclusive workplaces.
“From a career perspective, I just want to work on things that make the space environment better for everybody,” Rachel said. “The things we do in space, they take place in a literal vacuum, but not in a metaphorical vacuum.”
