Lauren B. Worley is a testament to the power of communication, hailing from Ohio, a state known for its contributions to aerospace history. From her early days as a radio host, she rose to prominence as NASA's Press Secretary and Senior Advisor, playing a pivotal role during a period of significant change in space exploration.

Currently serving as Communications Director for Procter & Gamble's Tampax brand, Lauren remains a vocal advocate for the space sector's growth and potential.

In this episode, Lauren shares her perspectives on space accessibility and its evolving economy, emphasizing that space is relevant to everyone, not just astronauts and scientists. You'll discover how space technology not only pushes the boundaries of innovation but also provides tangible benefits here on Earth, touching every aspect of daily life. Lauren’s insights debunk the myth that space is reserved for a select few, inviting individuals from all professions to engage with this ever-expanding field.

In this episode you'll discover:

• The transcendent power of space to connect with our humanity and everyday reality.

• How Lauren's personal and professional path led her from Ohio to the heart of NASA's storytelling.

• The myriad ways small businesses and everyday citizens contribute to and benefit from space exploration.

• Lauren's conviction that a role in space is accessible to everyone, irrespective of their current occupation.

• Her advocacy for educational outreach, ensuring that the wonder of space is shared with future generations.

Quote:

“Space exploration is not just for those with rockets; it’s for poets, teachers, artists, and dreamers. It’s for every one of us, shaping our world and the way we see our place in the universe.”

- Lauren Worley

Episode Links:

Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn

Follow Lauren on X

Follow Lauren on Insta

Read Lauren’s newsletter ‘From Space to Village’

Learn more about the Cincinnati Observatory's mission to make space accessible

🎧 Listen to Anousheh Ansari and Lauren Worley’s Fireside Talk at South by Southwest 2024

‘The Business of Space: From Industry to Economy HERE

Credits:

Production by CxS Partners LTD

Executive Producer: Toby Goodman

Audio & Sound Design: Lee Turner

Recorded in Austin at SxSW on Nomono Sound Capsule

Artwork: Ryan Field

Join the #1 community creating equitable access to the business of space.

https://interastra.space/

There's countless examples of small businesses throughout the country that have taken NASA technology and implemented that in their own business to sharpen their processes or to create something new. Those are really big part of what we did. And in a day and age when space can seem a little too normal for people's space exploration, it really helped make it very real for the people who might ask the question, why are we spending all this money to send to space when we have all these problems on Earth? Well, the truth is everything that we're learning in space benefits life on Earth. Well, when I was a kid growing up, I asked my parents to take me to Washington DC for my 6th birthday. So my entire life, I knew that I wanted to be working, not just identifying problems, but actually doing something about them. I have a degree in journalism, but I knew really quickly that I didn't wanna write about potholes. I wanted to work to fill the potholes. And so through that, I found my way into science communications.

My first job, though, in high school, I actually did a radio show on Sundays from 5 AM to 1 PM, and I introduced all the gospel programming. So I would say the next program is brought to you by George and Jean and the gospel melatones. And then I would play a cassette tape for 30 minutes and then do it again. But a cool part about it was I produced the new news. So at 16, 17 years old, I was producing a newscast that went out in my very small community. I have a hometown of 1700 people, but it really helped me make the connection between what was important to my neighbors and friends, but also talking about global issues. And I would have had no idea in the nineties that that was gonna prepare me for a job in the 20 tens working at our nation's space agency, but it was incredibly relevant. So I grew up in Ohio.

The Wright family, important not just the Wright brothers, but the Wright's sister as well, who is important part of aviation history. John Glenn, Neil Armstrong, Sonny Williams, you know, you could write a book about Ohio and aerospace. So I don't know if it's in the water or not. But in Ohio, we always say we're 1st in flight. In 2003, we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Wright Brothers historic flight. And my dad worked with Dayton Television to do a downlink with the International Space Station with a school in Ohio and a school in North Carolina. He actually got a mission patch made for it and everything. That moment really captured for me how close I was just to space and how I could actually be part of it.

I didn't have to be an astronaut or a researcher or a doctor or a material scientist or anything like that. There's a role for people beyond, what you might traditionally think of space industry. You need writers and poets and accountants and nutritionists and all the way up and down. You know, there's a famous story, from John f Kennedy's time as president where he's going through the, you know, Kennedy Space Center and he sees someone sweeping the floor. And he asks the janitor, what do you do here? And he said, sir, I'm getting a man to space. And I think that story for me captures so much of how much buy in people had, which was important. Right? They had this guiding light vision. But also importantly for me, he understood that we each play a role in that mission.

And if if somebody who is at Kennedy Space Center keeping the floors clean in the sixties could be part of that here in the, you know, in 2024, we we have a role to play as well. When I was in college, there was a show on TV called The West Wing. And the second I saw it, I knew I wanted to be CJ Craig. I wanted to be press secretary to the president, but I had no idea how you could possibly get a job like that. I spent decades in campaigns and politics mainly, adjacent to, you know, knowing a space, watching launches, and that kind of thing. And then I had the opportunity come up. They were hiring a press secretary at NASA, and I had the opportunity to apply for it. I didn't I don't even know if I knew that was a job.

I'm not sure that I really understood that there was someone who would absolutely be doing this dream job that I would have. Once I learned about it, it was something I absolutely wanted to go for. Like I mentioned, I'm from Ohio. So I called anybody who was remotely connected to space and learned a lot. Before I started at NASA, and maybe I shouldn't say this now, I mean, I actually met president Obama once. And he asked me this question, How long have you been involved in space? And my answer was, oh, I've seen Star Wars, like, a 1000 times. I don't wanna say that was my preparation for going to NASA, but I would say that that has absolutely sparked my imagination and my passion. Now that I've been to NASA, by the way, I now know that you should the right answer was Star Trek and not Star Wars.

There's a definite, you know, divide between Star Wars and Star Trek fans. But the first day I got there, you know, I I was just full of just overwhelmed with awe, overwhelmed with the generosity of every person I met sharing with me what they were learning, what they were working on. It really was kind of this, frankly, just unbelievable experience to be around people who are at the top of their game, whether they're a researcher or astrophysicist, you know, doing the finances, HR, whatever they were doing there at NASA, and then to put that into the space lawyers. Right? Space lawyers, you know, they're putting best of their craft and then putting it into creating this space industry that's evolving into a space economy. When my former boss, Charlie Bolden, was approached by Ron McNair about being an astronaut, Charlie tells this story where Ron asked him about applying for the astronaut corps, and Charlie said, I don't think they'll take me. And Ron McNair looked at him and said, that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. I think about that all the time when I self select out of an opportunity for myself or think I can't do that because I'm a woman, or I can't do that because I'm in my mid forties, or I can't do that because I live in Cincinnati, or I can't do that because I have this obligation. The best bit of advice, I think, is relevant to the business of space, but it it goes beyond that is to not opt yourself out before you know if it's a real opportunity or not.

Now I'll never go to space because I get motion sickness in the car. Right? I I have this fear of being in a EVA suit for 8 hours and needing to itch my nose, for example. But the best bit of advice that I've ever been given is don't opt yourself out.

When it comes to the business space, I think it's a big misconception that you somehow have to be part of a of a legacy to be part of the movement. And the truth is the space industry is made up of people who grew up just staring at the moon and wondering, people who watched hundreds of episodes of Star Trek, people who won their science fair or just wondered what if? What does that mean? And then they put themselves to work, study the things they need to start to. I've got a friend who's an astrophysicist who started out as a truck driver and then went to community college and now has a PhD in astrophysics, chases solar eclipses throughout the world. It doesn't determine what you are doing today is what you're gonna be doing in the future. Space is for everyone.

We're talking about building a space economy. And a space economy is going to demand not just astronauts, researchers, engineers, but accountants, lawyers, bankers, yoga instructors, what whatever people do. Right? It's a it's a selling food, making materials, all of those things. And the future of that exists in every single classroom, every neighborhood conversation. So what I'm doing today is I speak to classes about space. I have answered a lot of questions about how I would go to the restroom in space and how yesterday's coffee is today's coffee. Goes over really well with 4th graders. I'm also on the board of trustees for the Cincinnati Observatory, which is the first public observatory in the United States.

And I love that mission because it's all about space being accessible to everyone. John Quincy Adams dedicated this thing because it was so important at the time to expand knowledge. So anytime there's something I can give back, whether it's sharing with young people about space or or opening up their, imaginations to to being a real career opportunity, I'm there to share it with them. I'm Lauren Worley, and you've been listening to listening to Your Business in Space. All the ways to connect with me are in the links in the show notes. To discover more, head to interastra.space