Stepping into the space industry as a product designer is an unusual and challenging path. Yet it offers a unique perspective on how new ideas, products, and businesses can emerge within one of the world’s most demanding industries.
In this talk, I will share my personal journey from design and entrepreneurship to founding Spacefood and becoming part of the German space ecosystem. I will discuss the realities of entering the sector without an aerospace background, the importance of persistence, and how a startup incepted from a market research and facing challenges beyond design can build credibility and recognition in a highly specialized field.
Along the way, we will explore the next decades of human space exploration, the challenges of long-duration missions, food production beyond Earth, and the role of bio-regenerative systems in supporting future settlements. I will also highlight how designers can contribute to space exploration through systems thinking, human-centered design, materals and spaces design, and the ability to connect technologies with real human needs.
This is a story about finding a place in the space industry, building a mission-driven company, and discovering how creative disciplines can help shape humanity’s future beyond Earth.
