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| Ex-spaceport boss calls out sexism in sector | Ex-spaceport boss calls out sexism in sector |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Melissa Quinn believes the space sector would benefit from greater diversity | Melissa Quinn believes the space sector would benefit from greater diversity |
| The departing boss of the UK's first spaceport has spoken out against alleged sexist behaviour in the "male-dominated" space sector. | The departing boss of the UK's first spaceport has spoken out against alleged sexist behaviour in the "male-dominated" space sector. |
| Melissa Quinn is leaving her role as the head of Spaceport Cornwall. | Melissa Quinn is leaving her role as the head of Spaceport Cornwall. |
| In January she oversaw the first satellite launch from UK soil, which ended in failure when the Virgin Orbit rocket suffered an "anomaly". | In January she oversaw the first satellite launch from UK soil, which ended in failure when the Virgin Orbit rocket suffered an "anomaly". |
| Ms Quinn said she was "left to my own devices" to deal with online and in-person negativity after the launch. | Ms Quinn said she was "left to my own devices" to deal with online and in-person negativity after the launch. |
| Melissa Quinn was the Head of Spaceport Cornwall for the first UK space launch earlier this year | Melissa Quinn was the Head of Spaceport Cornwall for the first UK space launch earlier this year |
| Ms Quinn said: "It is a very male-dominated industry, you may not be part of the conversations that you would be if you were a man. I could write a book about some of the ridiculous stuff that has been said to me and maybe I will one day. | Ms Quinn said: "It is a very male-dominated industry, you may not be part of the conversations that you would be if you were a man. I could write a book about some of the ridiculous stuff that has been said to me and maybe I will one day. |
| "A lot of the times I was the only woman in the room and I was quite a lot younger than a lot of my male counterparts who are massively experienced but I think we need different ways of thinking." | "A lot of the times I was the only woman in the room and I was quite a lot younger than a lot of my male counterparts who are massively experienced but I think we need different ways of thinking." |
| Listen: Melissa Quinn on bias in the space industry | |
| Ms Quinn said she was able to come up with solutions to problems her male counterparts "would just never have come up with". | Ms Quinn said she was able to come up with solutions to problems her male counterparts "would just never have come up with". |
| She said: "For me I think there is a huge opportunity for the space industry to start to open their doors and be more diverse, because then you can start to solve some of these global challenges by having a different mindset. | She said: "For me I think there is a huge opportunity for the space industry to start to open their doors and be more diverse, because then you can start to solve some of these global challenges by having a different mindset. |
| "It has been important to me that I didn't just sit back and be quiet - that I added to the conversation. But also that I held them to account when they were blatantly being quite sexist." | "It has been important to me that I didn't just sit back and be quiet - that I added to the conversation. But also that I held them to account when they were blatantly being quite sexist." |
| She said she would often confront the behaviour and "call it out - unless we do that they continue to get away with it". | She said she would often confront the behaviour and "call it out - unless we do that they continue to get away with it". |
| Ms Quinn said she had a difficult time following the failed Virgin launch. | Ms Quinn said she had a difficult time following the failed Virgin launch. |
| She said: "A lot of people wanted to point fingers, and it is easy to point the finger at the person who was running it. | She said: "A lot of people wanted to point fingers, and it is easy to point the finger at the person who was running it. |
| "But I feel that unfortunately these days with social media things can spread like wildfire very quickly, can be very personal and they are kind of left unchecked. | "But I feel that unfortunately these days with social media things can spread like wildfire very quickly, can be very personal and they are kind of left unchecked. |
| "At the end of the day there is a human at the end of everything and it hurts, of course it hurts. It got to the point where I just thought for my own family and for me it was time I took a bit of time out of that spotlight." | "At the end of the day there is a human at the end of everything and it hurts, of course it hurts. It got to the point where I just thought for my own family and for me it was time I took a bit of time out of that spotlight." |
| As the head of Spaceport Cornwall she was an employee of Cornwall Council, and the authority has been contacted for a comment on the alleged lack of support. | As the head of Spaceport Cornwall she was an employee of Cornwall Council, and the authority has been contacted for a comment on the alleged lack of support. |
| The satellite launcher failed because a rocket fuel filter had become dislodged, causing one of the engines to overheat, said Virgin Orbit | The satellite launcher failed because a rocket fuel filter had become dislodged, causing one of the engines to overheat, said Virgin Orbit |
| Ms Quinn said: "I don't think they ever experienced maybe an employee having that level of exposure before that wasn't one of their politicians. | Ms Quinn said: "I don't think they ever experienced maybe an employee having that level of exposure before that wasn't one of their politicians. |
| "So for me it just got to the point where I was just trying to do a really good job, I believed in it and I guess I feel like I didn't need that in my life." | "So for me it just got to the point where I was just trying to do a really good job, I believed in it and I guess I feel like I didn't need that in my life." |
| She said people would approach her when she was at the beach, or dropping her children at school, with their opinions on the spaceport project. | She said people would approach her when she was at the beach, or dropping her children at school, with their opinions on the spaceport project. |
| "Maybe just think twice about it because I think we all need a little bit more kindness in our lives," she said. | "Maybe just think twice about it because I think we all need a little bit more kindness in our lives," she said. |
| Ms Quinn said the decision to leave the spaceport after nine years was a personal one. | Ms Quinn said the decision to leave the spaceport after nine years was a personal one. |
| She said: "I am not a politician, I was delivering a job on behalf of Cornwall Council, and from time to time that got ugly, and I just felt like I didn't have a lot of support to maintain my own level of security and safety for my family as well. | She said: "I am not a politician, I was delivering a job on behalf of Cornwall Council, and from time to time that got ugly, and I just felt like I didn't have a lot of support to maintain my own level of security and safety for my family as well. |
| "So for me it was more of a personal decision to sort of maybe slightly step out of the limelight here in Cornwall." | "So for me it was more of a personal decision to sort of maybe slightly step out of the limelight here in Cornwall." |
| Last week it was announced she had been appointed as general manager of US based space data and tracking company Slingshot Seradata. | Last week it was announced she had been appointed as general manager of US based space data and tracking company Slingshot Seradata. |
| Slingshot Seradata is a launch and satellite database which tracks every space launch and has offices in Texas, California and Colorado. | Slingshot Seradata is a launch and satellite database which tracks every space launch and has offices in Texas, California and Colorado. |
| In April Virgin Orbit filed for bankruptcy, and there has been some doubt cast over the Newquay spaceport's future. | In April Virgin Orbit filed for bankruptcy, and there has been some doubt cast over the Newquay spaceport's future. |
| The Civil Aviation Authority said it remained a fully licenced Spaceport, but its operating licence would need to be amended before a new operator could launch from there. | The Civil Aviation Authority said it remained a fully licenced Spaceport, but its operating licence would need to be amended before a new operator could launch from there. |
| Last month Cornwall Council announced its two-year space sector strategy, including an expectation of 150 jobs at the spaceport by 2025. | Last month Cornwall Council announced its two-year space sector strategy, including an expectation of 150 jobs at the spaceport by 2025. |
| Ms Quinn said: "There has been a lot out there from people saying 'it's a sinking ship - she is jumping before it goes down', but it couldn't be further from the truth." | Ms Quinn said: "There has been a lot out there from people saying 'it's a sinking ship - she is jumping before it goes down', but it couldn't be further from the truth." |
| She said she decided before the launch she would look for new opportunities afterwards. | She said she decided before the launch she would look for new opportunities afterwards. |
| "I don't think people realise when we see SpaceX launching all the time and so we are a hit nonchalant about it these days, but it is all-encompassing and it basically takes over your whole life and your whole family's life. | "I don't think people realise when we see SpaceX launching all the time and so we are a hit nonchalant about it these days, but it is all-encompassing and it basically takes over your whole life and your whole family's life. |
| "The decision was already made in my head that I really wanted to try something else and give myself a little bit of a life back." | "The decision was already made in my head that I really wanted to try something else and give myself a little bit of a life back." |
| Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Sexism | Sexism |
| Aerospace | Aerospace |