Built to Leave the Launchpad

A spacecraft is safest when it’s on its launchpad.

But that was never its purpose.

It was built to leave.

I think the same is true for many of us who are drawn to space.

You may have an idea that feels too early. A skill you are still developing. A research question nobody has asked you to pursue yet. You may even feel that you are not “ready” for the space industry.

But potential is not meant to remain parked.

Think about NASA’s Ingenuity. It began as a technology demonstration designed for just five flights over 30 days. Instead, it completed 72 flights over nearly three years, eventually becoming an aerial scout for Perseverance and helping open new possibilities for exploring Mars.

Its story reminds me of something simple:

You don’t always discover your full potential before you begin. Sometimes, you discover it by going.

So wherever you are in the space ecosystem from engineering, biology, medicine, policy, design, education, entrepreneurship, research, or something entirely new, don’t underestimate the contribution you can make.

Build. Experiment. Ask questions. Collaborate. Take the next step.

The launchpad is only the beginning.

Your job is to find where you are meant to go and start moving toward it.

— Shrushti Patil

Founder, SHe In Space