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Invercargill student helps to launch more Kiwi women into space

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Sophie Ineson surveyed her peers at Southland Girls' High School and found almost no one knew of a female working in the New Zealand or international space industry.

The 12-year-old says her growing interest in space discovery came after a visit to a NASA centre in 2018.

Knowing her peers hadn’t experienced such an eye-opening opportunity, she knew she needed to act to show them what was possible.

She raised her concerns with the New Zealand Space Agency, the Prime Minister, and Rocket Lab.

She called for action to create better pathways for young women into the sector.

She suggested that a careers website be created to guide young people as they consider their next steps. She also asked for more to be done to connect girls with female role models who are currently working in the industry.

The space industry is taking off in Aotearoa. Between 2018 and 2019, it contributed nearly $1.7 billion to the country’s economy and employs 12,000 people.

With help from TVNZ1's Fair Go, Sophie received a letter back from the New Zealand Space Agency, which outlined a number of initiatives about to launch, as well as others already underway.
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Australia
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