TYLER GILCHRIST & THE PROGRESSION OF THE SPACE INDUSTRY
I recently had the opportunity to talk with Tyler Gilchrist, the Payload Integration Manager at Firefly Aerospace. Firefly Aerospace is an end-to-end space transportation company that provides services with launch, orbital, and landing capabilities. Firefly is still a newer company in the space industry, but they have already made their name know through partnerships with NASA, Lockheed Martin, and multiple international bodies. I asked Tyler about his role at Firefly, his vision for the future, and advice that he would give to young professionals and students looking to get into the aerospace industry.
I first asked Tyler to detail his role at Firefly. He explained how, as the spacecraft payload integration manager for Blue Ghost mission 2, he serves as a “stand in for whoever isn’t in the room.” Tyler acts as the interface between payload teams attempting to put their projects on the mission and Firefly as the voice for the lander. He works out the requirements, needs, and details for payload teams and Firefly to ensure that every system works together and the overall mission of the Lunar Lander is a success. As they are right in the middle of this mission, he is currently working heavily with payload teams to make sure everyone will be able to meet their scientific goals while working cohesively with each other.
After hearing about Tyler’s current work, I was curious to hear what got him interested in joining the space industry and Firefly Aerospace. Tyler explained that he developed a love for aerospace in high school after he, a group of friends, and one of their teachers were selected to develop a payload to go to the ISS. This was a “dream come true” for him, and it motivated him to go to college to study aerospace engineering. He said that the process of choosing Firefly was easy as they had just what he was looking for in their work. He loves that he is able to see the progress of his projects in real time, and he enjoys the quick turnaround from idea to completion.
I then asked Tyler about his experience working at Firefly and what the culture of the company is like. Tyler explained that while Firefly has a number of technical advantages that set it apart, the “biggest thing making it special is its culture.” Everyone at Firefly is very passionate about their work. Teams are able to push through the hard times and capitalize on the good ones all with a strong sense of camaraderie and teamwork. There is a high level of care for each other, which helps the finished products to meet their highest standards. Tyler also explained that working at Firefly is nice due to the high level of both accountability and autonomy that he has. He is able to do what he needs to do without being micromanaged, allowing for further creativity in his work. Tyler said that anyone working at Firefly is able to mold their position into whatever they want it to be.
Shifting gears, I asked Tyler about the partnerships that Firefly has with other companies and organizations. He described how Firefly has a number of different partnerships in civil, commercial, military, and even international sectors. From NASA to Lockheed Martin to the UK and Netherlands, Firefly is able to provide their services and receive support from a variety of people. Tyler further explained how, due to his role as payload integration manager, he is in constant communication with these partners to ensure everyone is aware of the progress of the project. With such a complex program, every small detail matters, so it is important to maintain constant communication as further progress is made.
I then asked Tyler to detail his visions for the future of Firefly as a company. He said that their main mission is to continue to “make space available for everybody.” In the next 5 to 10 years, Firefly will continue to provide a level of affordability and reliability that will allow universities and companies who previously couldn’t to get into space. All of their platforms— launch, land, and orbit—will hopefully be proven later this year, allowing Firefly to continue to serve as a one stop shop for affordable space missions. Tyler hopes that Firefly will continue to expand their missions, providing a consistent schedule that allows everyone to take part in the growing industry. He doesn’t want anyone to miss out on their opportunities, so through affordability, reliability, and consistency Firefly is aiming to make a larger impact in the space industry.
After hearing about his visions for the future of Firefly, I asked Tyler about his views on the future of the space industry as a whole. He sees the space industry continuing to grow through different avenues like partnerships with the civil and military sector and the development of space tourism in the commercial sector. Firefly and other aerospace companies are aiming to allow individuals, companies, and universities to dream big and achieve their goals as easily as possible. Tyler believes that the industry will only continue to grow as people realize what is possible.
To conclude the interview, I asked Tyler what advice he would give to young professionals or students that want to get into the aerospace industry. His first piece of advice was to “stay humble.” No matter the situation or where you are at, no one knows everything. The aerospace industry has a large wealth of knowledge attached to it, and no one is an expert in every field. Tyler explained that “things begin to fall apart” when you are not open and willing to listen to others. He recalled the time a teacher told him “if you’re 95% right, you’re 100% wrong.” In order for everything to succeed, every detail needs to be checked and flushed out, as there is no room for error. His second piece of advice was to not be constrained by your college degree or past experiences. The aerospace industry is very vast and diverse, so if you have a passion for space you can find a way to apply your skills and knowledge and join the industry. You don’t need to be an aerospace engineer to find yourself working at a company like Firefly, so always be open to your options. He believes that you should reach out to as many people in the field as you can, as many of them are very passionate about what they do and will be more than willing to help you get started.
Sitting down with Tyler and learning more about what Firefly Aerospace does was an amazing opportunity. I enjoyed hearing about his work and his visions for the future of Firefly and the aerospace industry. I am looking forward to staying in touch and keeping up with what Firefly accomplishes over the next few years.
BANDERA ELECTRIC COOPERATION
This week I sat down with Hannah Culak, Kati Fitzpatrick, and Charity Huber from Bandera Electric Cooperative (BEC). We discussed how BEC serves the Hill Country, and they also helped me to learn more about the Seven Cooperative Principles the organization is guided by.
I first asked the representatives from Bandera Electric Cooperative what sets BEC apart from other electric cooperatives. BEC is a very forward-thinking cooperative. They are working on some innovative things that some larger electric companies in larger cities aren’t working on and they focus on energy-saving techniques for their members. “First and foremost, every decision is made with the member in mind,” Charity stated. In 2017, the cooperative developed BEC Fiber in the rural areas they service, because it was what the members asked for and needed. Bandera ISD also has access to BEC Fiber, meaning students and faculty can have “future-proof” internet. BEC listens to its members and tries to anticipate what their needs are now and in the future, which is a major way they are different from other electric companies and cooperatives.
BEC follows “Seven Cooperative Principles.” I asked Hannah, Kati, and Charity to explain a few of the Seven Principles to me. Kati specifically spoke about the “Concern for Community” principle. This principle focuses on community outreach and enhancing the lives of BEC’s members. They offer monetary donations to other organizations and also physically participate within the community. BEC has even adopted two miles of highway in perspective of this principle, and they do quarterly clean-ups on that two-mile stretch. Other ways they participate in the community are through blood drives, sponsoring community events, and participating in events. The linemen at BEC can be seen hanging Christmas lights throughout the community, they offer help to other organizations that don’t have the manpower, and sometimes you might even find them helping to rescue a cat out of a tree.
Another principle they mention is “Cooperation among Cooperatives.” This principle is about sending mutual aid to other cooperatives in need. Recently, BEC sent a lineman crew to aid Sam Houston Electric to help get the community back online after the hurricane. Besides offering aid to other cooperatives, they reach out to offer guidance on what BEC is doing for its members while also seeing what other cooperatives are doing for their members. The main purpose of this principle is not competing with other cooperatives, but helping each other do the best they can. “We’re helping them or they’re helping us,” Charity said. Hannah talked about how she saw a lineman cutout posted by another cooperative. “I messaged them asking where they got it and they just sent me all the information. Just having that cooperation is really amazing.”
Knowing that BEC is forward-thinking, I asked them what BEC is hoping to achieve in the next three to five years. “All the things,” Charity said. They introduced an energy monitoring software called Apolloware several years ago, and they hope to see how far this software can go and continue to develop it further. Apolloware monitors electric usage in real-time and can notify a user which can alert them to a possible leak or issue that can run up energy usage in the home. “That is steamrolling where we’re going with a lot of our innovations,” she stated. Another thing has been battery storage for solar panels. When someone purchases solar panels from BEC they are automatically enrolled in the program, allowing them to store excess energy in case of emergencies.
The hope is that every member has access to Apolloware and that more members will add solar panels and have access to electricity in emergencies. They also brought the discussion back to knowing what members need. This is the goal now but it will continuously change as they ask members for input and suggestions as to what they are looking for from BEC. Lastly, they hope to continue being the most affordable electric service around. In the last 10 years BEC has only had one rate of increase, and they want to continue this for their members.
I asked them what their Annual Meeting looks like for the members of BEC. Charity states that “it is an opportunity for the members to see what is going on in the co-op. We also go over the annual report for the previous year.” This will be the second meeting held in person since the pandemic and they will have guest speakers, live entertainment, free tacos, and, members can speak with the different departments within the co-op. A raffle is also held during this meeting. With BEC being member-owned, it’s a way for the memberowners to talk with the CEO and board of directors and a time to come together as a community. Hannah mentions how it is also a way to give members a voice within the co-op as they vote on directors and share concerns they have.
Lastly, I asked them to provide some advice for those getting ready to join the workforce. Kati’s piece of advice was to, “always be open-minded to new opportunities.” She knows people lean towards a specific field when entering the workforce. She never planned on working for an electric co-op but being open to the opportunity she knows it was the best decision she made. Hannah, being the newest to the workforce, said, “Do internships, network, get your name out there, try everything out because you never know if you’ll love it until you do.”
