On 6 March, KCL Space, alongside KCL Commercial Law and KCL UN Women UK, hosted Ms. Aarti Holla-Maini, Director of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), for a panel discussion on her career, the new space age, women in space and advice for aspiring space professionals.
Holla-Maini is a King’s College London (KCL) alumna, where she earned a degree in law with German law. With specialization in law and business management, Holla-Maini brings a pivotal approach to navigating the challenges and opportunities in a space sector that is becoming increasingly private-sector driven.
Holla-Maini has over 25 years of professional experience in the space sector. She has worked to promote digital inclusion and advance international space policy, through her many impactful roles including member of The World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Space, member of the Advisory Group of the Space Sustainability Rating, Executive Vice-President Sustainability, Policy & Impact at NorthStar Earth & Space, and Secretary-General of the Global Satellite Operators Association.
UNOOSA works to ensure international space agencies work together to maintain the peaceful use and exploration of space and to achieve sustainable economic and social development through space science and technology.
Early Career
Holla-Maini’s journey into the space industry is one that was presented to her at a careers fair during her MBA. She was invited to an assessment centre by Daimler-Benz Aerospace (later merged and rebranded to Airbus) and offered a job:
“I wish I could tell a romantic story about being a child and looking at the stars… I’m not, I fell into space and I’ve been there ever since.”
Holla-Maini applied for her current position because, as she put it, “How often does a senior position in the UN in space come up?”
Multiple people told her that her chances of success were low, saying things like, “They want a space lawyer” and “There are five top candidates — you’re not the favorite.” Despite the external pessimism, Holla-Maini secured the job.
The UN Space Sector
Holla-Maini described UNOOSA as “extremely high impact, given the size, given the budget.” Holla-Maini expressed how it’s easy to criticise the UN from the outside about the lack of peace in the world. However, the UN does its job of convening member states, keeping them at the table, and allowing for global conversations that would not otherwise be possible with the interference of geopolitics.
UNOOSA was a tiny unit set up in 1957 to act as a secretary to the ad hoc Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, which was established during the Cold War in fear of what the US and USSR might do with space:
“It is the birthplace of the global governance of space. It is continuing to do that even today… That was our original mandate. Our mandate has grown since then and we are now a gateway between space technology, solutions, services, and applications… and member states, developing countries.”
Holla-Maini’s mission is to put UNOOSA on the map:
“We are… the Cinderella of the UN… We have to beg for pennies and we don’t even get pennies.”
The UNOOSA is an underfunded UN body with growing responsibilities and limited resources.
Space Services
Holla-Maini addressed the importance of space technologies:
“So what do people need to know about space? It’s the fact that we have so many downstream services and applications which… literally transform lives, save lives, our society as we know it wouldn’t function without space solutions, applications, and services.”
These services include weather forecasts and satellite navigation.
UNOOSA’s job is to facilitate access to satellite communications, observations, and imaging for those who need it.
The Tiktok Career Ladder Guy
Holla-Maini was featured on a Max Klymenko video, who is a Tiktoker who guesses people’s jobs on his ‘career ladder’.
The feature on YouTube hit 17 million views.
Holla-Maini added:
“If each one of those viewers had given one euro… we would be rocking it… I think some of the kids who watch… probably wouldn’t even have an issue giving one dollar or one euro, but the UN does, member states do.”
Career Advice
Holla-Maini advises young aspiring professionals hoping to join the space sector to apply to whatever opportunities are presented:
“I think the most important thing is don’t wait for things to fall in your lap, seize opportunities when they come”
She also advises to be sincere and authentic in the way you work and focus on what you enjoy. And when opportunities present themselves, be flexible and try things out — you never know what will happen.
Women in Space
UNOOSA’s Space4Women program encourages women’s participation in the space industry by providing mentorship and access to space, and raising awareness. Recently, they published a gender mainstream toolkit, which contains practical advice for organizations on how to increase the number of women in the organization.
Reflections on Her Time at King’s
Roar approached Holla-Maini after the talk to ask her what she missed most about her time at King’s. Holla-Maini said she missed the mooting sessions, which she only joined in her third year at King’s, and added that she regretted not having joined earlier:
“I only had the courage to do it in third year… I wish I had done it sooner.”
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