Young voices in the space sector

UNOOSA helps youth all over the world pursue and succeed in education or career opportunities in the space sector. This page features stories from young professionals in the space sector, helping them reach a wider audience for their ideas, experience and advice.

Would you like to be featured? Are you in the early stages of a career in the space sector and have a story to share? See our specifications below and get in touch at: space4youth@un.org 

Specifications for stories

In this space, we publish features by guest writers, focused on the experiences and ideas of young professionals in the early stages of their careers in the space sector.

Some are commissioned by us; others we select from proposals that come to  space4youth@un.org

Publishing external voices is a key part of our work promoting the increased participation of young people in the space sector. We particularly appreciate pieces that provide personal insights into experiences in the sector, explore ideas on how young people's contributions can be amplified, or on how space can help sustainable development in your community, and illuminate diverse points of view.
We also want our opinion pieces to be interesting, readable articles for a diverse audience, and to share advice for and inspire more young people in the sector.

If you would like to be part of this conversation, please get in touch at the email above with the subject "Space4Youth story".

Topics we are particularly interested in:

• Personal experiences in the early stages of a career in the space sector
• Advice for other young professionals entering the sector, based on your experience
• Ideas on how the voices and participation of the youth can be promoted in the sector
• Ideas on how space can contribute to sustainable development in your community and beyond
• Ideas on how to make the space sector more inclusive, from all angles (age, gender, geography, income)

Here are some requirements and tips to make your proposal stand out:

1.  UNOOSA works with space agencies, Member States, other UN agencies and private companies operating in space all over the world. This means your article can start from a personal or local experience but should reach beyond it. It also means it cannot assume inside knowledge and should be understandable by people with various levels of expertise in the sector, or none at all.
2. Write what you know. Tell us something others cannot, such as your personal experience of starting in the space sector and your thoughts on how space can contribute to your local community or country.
3. Write clearly and accessibly. Your piece should be an enjoyable read, even if it is a serious or technical subject. Avoid jargon and acronyms.
4. Be sharp: readers have limited time and the maximum length for the article is 1500 words.
5. Send us at least one picture, if possible more (of yourself, or from the experience the article focuses on) to accompany the piece.

Your draft will often turn out to be a starting point. We might suggest ways of making the language or the argument clearer. But rest assured that we will always show you a final version for approval and, if we cannot agree, you will retain the piece. We like to know the source of any data included in the article, so we may ask you to provide links or other sources for your assertions.

We acknowledge all messages and aim to give you a yes or no answer within a couple of weeks. We're looking forward to reading your work.

How to submit a story

Send your article (in Word or PDF format), accompanying picture, a short bio and your LinkedIn profile if available, to  space4youth@un.org, with the subject: "Space4Youth story"