Careers

Discovering An Out-Of-This-World Personal Brand With Aerospace Systems Engineer Bailey Burns


How do you build a brand in space?

Bailey Burns is an Aerospace Systems Engineer based in Denver, Colorado. She has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Space Resources. She is focused on life support systems and other aspects human spaceflight. Early in her career, Bailey found she had an unknown desire to experience space for herself.

“Bailey is an inspiring and passionate next gen leader who isn’t afraid to let her emotional intelligence play a key role in her decision making and leadership style” offers Dr. Sian Proctor, Astronaut in Residence at Maricopa Community Colleges.

Along the way, Burns discovered space was much bigger than just her dream and has been focused on how to bring everyone to the space table as their best selves. Merging the two worlds of technical aerospace with emotional intelligence has become her new passion. Bailey Burns joins Forbes to talk about how she found her way to a career in spaceflight.

Goldie Chan: Hi Bailey, thanks for joining us. What has your career path been?

Bailey Burns: My career path probably seems fairly stereotypical, but it feels really surprising for me. I did a lot of experimenting with things I liked and didn’t like. When I was in high school, I thought I going to be a journalist because I didn’t feel like I fit in the STEM field. But I ended up getting into an engineering college. I got my B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and went on to work in the DoD world doing space domain awareness. Through that process, I learned that industry wasn’t quite right for me. I went back for my master’s degree in Space Resources (using resources like water on the Moon for sustainable space activity) and began working in human spaceflight. I found my passion for human spaceflight while working on ECLSS (Environmental Control and Life Support Systems) which basically provides all the things (oxygen, pressure, temperature) we need to keep humans alive in space.

I say it has been surprising to me because I would have never predicted a career in STEM. I got C’s in all my math classes from Geometry up through Calculus 3. I think it is important to say that I really suck at math (or more specifically, taking math tests) but I still was able to become an engineer. Overall, my career has been based around me finding my passion. I really followed the things I found most exciting to me and listened to my gut on if they made me happy or not. Because of this, I am constantly surprised in where my career is going to take me next. Hopefully it takes me to space somewhere in there!

Chan: Why have you chosen to focus on a career in space?

Burns: Like I mentioned, I kind of just kept following things I thought were cool and space is pretty cool. I think the initial interest was because I am an explorer and helping humans go to space seems like a exciting adventure. Then as I got further into my space career, I learned I am not really an engineer type. I love engineering and I will keep being an engineer, but I found myself more drawn to the “spirit of space” and answering why we are doing space things.

The space industry is a bit unique. People in the space field typically have to thing more on a 100-year time scale as opposed to the monthly or yearly trajectory that humans typical work on. I personally have found a lot of joy having my career geared towards asking the long-term questions like “how do we do this the right way? How does this impact ALL of humanity? Who is being left out of this conversation?” The space industry also has a unique perspective on our planet. We often use the term “Spaceship Earth” because we really are a massive spacecraft carrying and 8-billion-person crew through space. There is this cosmic shift of our place in the universe, and it starts to become really clear we need to be working together as a crew. Having that message being built into my career has really helped me feel like I have a small but important role in the something larger than myself.

I also have to be completely honest; the space industry has some messy parts to it as well. And I want to call that out! It is not a perfect industry and there is plenty more we could be doing to make it a representation of the future we want to see. Part of the draw to focus my career in space is because of the more negative areas. I think everyone has to decide what they want to fight for in their life. This happens to be the mission I have decided to keep fighting for and trying to make a little better piece by piece.

Chan: What is an inspiring story that has resonated with you?

Burns: I think many stories from the space industry are inherently very inspiring. I really admire Eileen Collins who became the first woman to command a spacecraft in 1999 because she showed me women could not only go to space, but also be leaders in space. One story that I keep holding onto is Dr. Sian Proctor. She loved space as a child, found her career going in other directions, and then ended up applying to be a NASA astronaut in 2009. She made it to the final round but ultimately wasn’t selected. But then Dr. Proctor spent the next decade revolutionizing the space industry in her own way and eventually, she went to space in 2021 with Inspiration4. As great as she would have been as a NASA astronaut, I really think the universe thought she would leave a more powerful impact going to space in the way she did. Dr. Proctor has taught me many things, but I think the most important is to just go in for the experience and be your 100% authentic self. Your path might not make a lot of sense now, but it always comes around full circle. She has given me the confidence to go to space completely as myself.

Chan: How would you describe your personal brand?

Burns: I focus on having a fun and genuine voice with my personal brand. I definitely have the spirit of an explorer (both Earth-bound and space) and I like to be curious and passionate with what I do. That is the engineer in me! And I like to show engineering can be more than just my day job. Partnering with a brand like Rubik’s has really helped me find that voice. I hope people feel like it possible to do anything from solving a Rubik’s cube to going to space as long as you have fun and stay curious.

I also chose to be vulnerable in my personal brand. It’s been difficult to find that footing because it feels like someone always has something to say. I have definitely had to overcome obstacles on my path and learned a lot of lessons along the way. The more I take on talking about those difficult topics and how I am learning to navigate my emotions in a technical, emotion-shaming world, the more I feel connected with others, and they can connect with me. It turns out, a lot of us feel a little lost in space a lot of the time. By dragging it out into the light and talking about my growth journey, I get to invite others to share their stories as well. Sharing vulnerably (both the highs and the lows) and being unapologetically passionate has helped me make my brand, well… mine.

Chan: What are you currently working on?

Burns: Like many people, I feel like I have tons of things going on all at once. My mission is to help as many people who want to go to space as possible, get them ready for that adventure and make sure they are their best selves when they get back to Earth. And I intend on keeping that as my guiding North star. But in the present moment, I am mostly working on myself and really figuring out who I am. I am starting a new job and moving my life around which means I need to get really clear on what makes me happy. What I am learning is I don’t have to be focused on becoming an astronaut 100% of the time. I have been getting back into martial arts and dancing and snowboarding, all things I love to do but lost along the way when I thought I had to stay focused on my career. I also am pushing that “experience” side of me that just wants to try new things – starting with analog astronaut missions. And I am most focused on the types of communities I am building. I love supporting smaller efforts in the space industry that have massive impact towards building the future we want to see in space.

Chan: What is a dream project you’d love to work on?

Burns: Honestly, any project that helps put people in space is the dream for me. I lucked out and I have been doing that for a few years now for my job. I am really humbled to have a role in taking humans to the lunar surface. I think the next thing for me is having a larger role in getting humans ready for what is about to happen. Space has the potential to shift how we as humans view ourselves and our planet – if we do it the right way. I want to work with anyone (regardless of age, nationality, gender, education level) who wants to experience space and to get them ready. That means I need to partner with the people who are sending people to space as well! I don’t know if there is a collaborator right now who is so focused on merging the technical and spiritual side, but if you are out there, please let me know!

Chan: Any branding or career advice for this new year?

Burns: Stay true to you! There is so much noise out there and it is way too easy to get wrapped up in it and distract yourself. You have to get clear on your mission and what makes you happy and then let all that other stuff flow around you. You can’t get resentful of other people’s opportunities because that is their path, not yours. You can’t get in your head about what other people are saying because that is your path, not theirs. Follow your integrity, listen to your gut, and stay genuine to your true self.

Oh and of course have fun while you do it! Life should be an adventure!



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