Women in Aerospace: 7 Questions with Slingshot’s Audrey Schaffer

Audrey Schaffer, Vice President of Strategy and Policy, Slingshot Aerospace, has made significant strides in the aerospace industry.

From flying planes to leading space missions and conducting groundbreaking research, women have been contributing to the aerospace industry for decades. However, the number of women employed in the international space industry represents just 20-22 percent of the workforce, according to figures released by the United Nations in 2021. Only 11 percent of astronauts so far have been women.

Progress is being made and NASA has pledged it will have the first woman and the first person of color walk on the Moon in the very near future. It’s crewed lunar mission Artemis 2 includes Astronaut Christina Koch, who will become the first woman to fly by the Moon in 2025.

What are the challenges for women in aerospace and what more can be done to increase the number of women in the STEM workforce? Tech Briefs interviewed Audrey Schaffer, Vice President of Strategy and Policy, Slingshot Aerospace, who has made significant strides in the aerospace industry. Prior to Slingshot, Schaffer held roles at the White House National Security Council (NSC), the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the U.S. Department of State, and NASA.

In her prior role in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Schaffer led DoD efforts to establish in law the United States Space Force (USSF) as the sixth branch of the armed forces. Schaffer also led a government-industry team that represented the United States in negotiating the first-ever United Nations guidelines for space sustainability. Schaffer holds a M.A. in International Science and Technology Policy, with a concentration in Space Policy, from the George Washington University and a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Tech Briefs: You joined Slingshot as Vice President of Strategy and Policy in September 2023. Can you tell us more about your current role and what you plan to achieve?

Audrey Schaffer: I strive to be a leading voice on space sustainability and space security — to shape the world’s views on the steps we need to take to preserve the use of space for current and future generations, whether that’s establishing a global space traffic coordination system or training Space Force Guardians to deter space threats. I also bring that vision into Slingshot to inform our strategy and product roadmap, ensuring that the capabilities we develop are meeting the world’s most pressing needs. By marrying these two aspects of my role — the internal and the external — I hope to put in place not only policies but also products and capabilities that protect the space domain as an operating environment and enable the long-term utilization of space.

Tech Briefs: Having worked at NASA, DoD, and NSC, you have been pivotal in shaping national and international space activities. What has been your biggest career accomplishment?

Schaffer: I have had the privilege of contributing to a number of significant national and international space milestones over the course of my career — from shaping international norms on space security and sustainability to classified activities I can’t discuss here! But if I had to choose just one accomplishment, it would be leading DoD efforts to establish in law the United States Space Force as the sixth branch of the armed forces. As space becomes increasingly contested, it is critical that the United States have a dedicated military branch with servicemen and women who are experts in space warfare and ready to protect and defend U.S. interests in space. Establishing the Space Force did just that, and I am proud to have been a key member of the team that made it a reality.

Tech Briefs: Who inspired you to pursue a career in aerospace and did you face any challenges being a woman in a maledominated field?

Schaffer: Ever since I was a little girl, I have wanted to pursue a career in space. When I was eight, I wanted to be an astronomer. Around age 13, I decided that instead I wanted to be an engineer. And in college, I believed that I could make the most impact by being a space policymaker, which is what I am today and where I have, indeed, made a significant impact. I share that evolution because my challenge wasn’t necessarily being a woman in a male-dominated field, but in figuring out how to bring my personal strengths to bear in a highly technical field. I do think it’s natural for women (and men) to think that the only way to contribute to a highly technical field is to be a scientist or an engineer. But that isn’t true. Any industry, even a highly technical one, needs people of all backgrounds to fill all kinds of roles. In the space industry, we need space lawyers, space economists, space public relations experts, space program managers, and yes, space scientists and space engineers.

Tech Briefs: Finding a mentor can be valuable, especially for women in male-dominated industries. Do you agree and did you have a mentor?

Schaffer: I agree that it’s important to have mentors. Throughout my career, I have developed a network of men and women who I call upon for advice when I’m facing a tough situation or a new transition. I think it’s important to cultivate many mentors because each has something unique to offer, and your career needs will change over time. Additionally, it’s important to find allies and sponsors — people who will proactively support your career advancement, whether by recommending you for a new role or by opening doors that could lead to new opportunities. I am grateful to have had many mentors, allies, and sponsors who believed in me and helped me get to where I am today.

Tech Briefs: The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that the earnings gap between American women and men narrowed to the smallest on record in 2023. While there is more gender diversity than ever in the science and engineering fields, do you think that women are still under-represented?

Schaffer: Female representation in science and engineering fields has come a long way over the past few decades. Earlier in my career, it was not uncommon for me to be the only woman in a room. But that’s not the case anymore. I frequently find myself in meetings where everyone in the room is a woman — and that is amazing. One of the reasons I joined Slingshot is our commitment to diversity in the workforce. We were inaugural signatories to the Space Workforce 2030 Pledge, which, among other things, aims to significantly increase the number of women and employees from underrepresented groups in the space industry’s technical workforce.

Tech Briefs: The number of female engineers is on the rise but compared to male engineers is still alarmingly low across the globe. How can we address the challenge of increasing the number of women in the STEM workforce?

Schaffer: All too often women are discouraged from pursuing STEM careers, sometimes in subtle or unintentional ways. When I was in college, I often found myself lost when trying to learn the fundamentals of aerospace engineering. That experience discouraged me from pursuing a career in engineering and led to my pivot to space policy. While I don’t regret that move, I sometimes wonder whether I would have made that shift if I had been more successful at my engineering curriculum. Drawing from my experience, I believe we can increase the number of women in the STEM workforce by supporting women when they are in school and deciding what career path to take. Whether that’s teaching technical concepts in different ways to speak to different learning styles or providing funding for internships to explore career options, we have to provide multiple pathways for women (and men) to gain confidence in their chosen career path.

Tech Briefs: What advice would you give to other women looking to step into leadership roles and carving their niche in aerospace?

Schaffer: The one piece of advice I would give to women in the aerospace industry is that not everything is about STEM. The aerospace industry is just that — an industry. We need people from all walks of life and with all types of strengths — from welders building space hardware to analysts crafting mergers and acquisitions. If you want to be a leader in the space industry, figure out what you’re passionate about and find a way to do that. Your passion will fuel your career, and success will come naturally.

This article was written by Chitra Sethi, Editorial Director, SAE Media Group.

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