Sarah Phelps

Karsen

How and why did you get into the space industry?

Sarah

I grew up in Palmdale, California, right next to the Edwards Air Force Base. Hearing and seeing rocket and flight tests was a normal part of my life. I even witnessed the space shuttle land once! Astronauts would come to speak at my school, which made it all feel completely normal for me.

For college, I attended Cornell, where I majored in French with a concentration in Modern European history. If Cornell had offered a communications degree, I would have pursued that instead, but I chose French studies so I could explore various subjects. I wanted to experience as much as possible. By the time I graduated, I aimed to hold as many different jobs as I could before turning 30.

I worked as a high school French teacher, coached track, worked for a nonprofit providing guide dogs to the blind, served as a consultant to high-net-worth individuals on charitable giving, and taught performing arts. I also worked for Club Med and lived in the Bahamas as an excursion director. During my time at Club Med, I realized I enjoyed creating experiences for people. Every job I had involved that component.

While at Club Med, I met someone who worked in Big Sky, Montana. He was a ski instructor and convinced me to move there, promising I could find a job. Initially, I thought I’d just be a ski bum or a waitress, but I applied for a sales secretary position at Big Sky Resort and Yellowstone Club. The VP of sales at Yellowstone Club, Charlie Callander, recognized my background in Palm Springs, and invited me to meet him for a drink. He told me I was overqualified for the job but encouraged me to join Yellowstone Club and assured me he’d find a suitable position for me.

Coincidentally, two of the kids I coached in track had parents who were close friends with Charlie. Additionally, I was a Tri Delta in college and attended alumni events in Palm Springs with older women who knew the club’s owner, Edra Blixseth. After interviewing with them, they created a role for me as the “Club Secretary and Director of Property Management.” I spent about 13 years there, eventually becoming the “Director of Member Services,” where I helped build the entire resort and served as President of the Chamber of Commerce.

One of my colleagues in Montana later worked in technical recruiting at Blue Origin, and they were looking for someone to head astronaut experience. He recommended me, and I flew out to Seattle, not knowing what to expect. Once I got there and interviewed, I realized it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I found it fascinating, so I accepted the job.

Karsen

Wow. What a story.

Sarah

It was amazing! They gave me a blank wall and a bunch of post-it notes, allowing me to build the astronaut experience from the ground up. For me, being part of that experience and changing the way people perceive the world is the most fulfilling part. When people go on vacation, don’t want to go see another museum, they want to experience something transformative that leaves them with a lasting impact. They want to engage in hands-on activities that resonate with them.

One of my favorite moments working with astronaut experience was a moment I had with one of the astronaut chefs, Matty. He shared how he had always loved space, but he was just a chef, not a rocket scientist or an aerospace engineer. He never went to college, instead went to culinary school, and believed he lacked the intelligence and skills to pursue that path. But now, he was coming to launches and felt like an integral part of the process. It’s incredibly rewarding for me to help open doors for people like him. 

Karsen

You grew up near Air Force bases. Did you always find space intriguing? Was it a career path you considered?

Sarah

I always thought space was cool, and I was good at math, but I didn’t really understand the engineering aspect. My parents were both high school teachers, and when I got to college, I briefly considered majoring in math. However, after taking one higher-level math class, I realized it wasn’t for me. I vividly remember struggling to understand concepts like imaginary numbers. I thought, “How can two imaginary numbers, which by definition don’t exist, suddenly equal negative one?” I couldn’t find anyone who could explain it in a way that made sense. Meanwhile, I was enjoying my time in the French department, eating subjects like wine and cheese, and going to Paris. That’s when I decided to major in French studies to explore a broader range of topics.

I’ve always been open to the journey, and for me as a mom, I strive to be a great example for my daughter. When she thinks of rocket scientists and astronauts, she sees women. Many of my colleagues are women, and I work on projects with them, which makes it natural for her to envision women as engineers and astronauts.

Karsen

It warms my heart to hear that. Considering all of this, do you believe there’s still room for improvement?

Sarah

Absolutely. It starts at a young age.  There’s a Barbie ad called “The Dream Gap” that highlights the differences in how we talk to boys and girls about money, science, and math. My daughter possesses the same scientific skills as any boy her age, but I still notice the differences in how people communicate with her. It’s often not even conscious. We need to change the way we talk to girls. The aerospace industry, in particular, hasn’t always been welcoming or flexible for working women. While COVID-19 transformed many industries, it didn’t shift the needle as much in aerospace.

Karsen

I completely agree. We can’t do anything to change the past, but we need to recognize that change is going to have to start a lot earlier than most often think. Even when you get into middle school, the pressures of comparison and insecurity make it even more challenging.

Sarah

Exactly! It is this mindset that makes girls think they shouldn’t or can’t be smart. I’m also mindful of language; I try to avoid saying “Hey, guys” and instead say “Hey y’all.” It’s the little things we can do to promote equality. When my daughter was little, she had a dollhouse and a toolset, it’s the little things like that. There was one instance when her teacher asked for dads to build wooden blocks for a play, my friend and I said, “We can totally do that!” We went home, got our tools, and figured it out. It’s essential to let girls know they can pursue any interest they want, regardless of their gender. Why wouldn’t we want to show our little girls how to use a power tool?

Karsen

Where do you envision the space industry in 30-40 years?

Sarah

For me, it’s about normalizing space travel. If we’re truly going to send people off the planet and relocate heavy industry into space, we need a diverse group of humans representing the full human experience. People need to eat, sleep, love, and feel; it can’t just be engineers going to space. We need artists, chefs, singers, and poets—people from all walks of life. The demographics of space exploration should reflect the demographics of Earth.

Karsen

What advice would you give to young women who are interested in pursuing a career in the space industry?

Sarah

It's an interesting question. My main advice is to just get your foot in the door, no matter how you do it. Don't be too particular about the initial role you take. In every job I've had, I started at the bottom and worked my way up. For example, when I began at the Yellowstone Club, I was a membership secretary—a hectic job. But I took it, committed to it, and built my career from there.

The key is to start somewhere and then explore the possibilities within the industry. If you find that you don't like your initial role, you have the freedom to carve out a new path for yourself. The space industry is still in its early stages, especially with many startups, so there’s plenty of room for innovation. Women, in particular, excel at coming in, seeing what can be improved, and making it happen.

So, get involved, look around, and always ask yourself how you can make things better and find something that excites you.