Let's Space It. Augusto Sardá

In this series of articles, we are introducing our colleagues behind ReOrbit technology. What brought them to the industry, their journeys towards humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier, lessons learned, and things they’d create if there were no technological limitations.

Meet Augusto Sardá, Software Engineer at ReOrbit. Augusto relocated from Argentina to Finland to pursue a career that contains the perfect blend of engineering for him: Software, GNC and Aerospace. From Old Space to the fast-paced New Space world, Augusto finds joy and motivation in the opportunity to see all the different stages of satellite manufacturing here at ReOrbit.

Why did you choose space

Looking back at my university days, Argentina was investing heavily in aerospace development. At that time, there was this idea that if you studied at my university, you’d likely end up working at a large engineering firm specialising in aerospace that was in the same region, which motivated me to choose this career path. Beyond that, I’ve always been fascinated by how things work from an engineering perspective. Space is incredible, of course, but what really excites me is to understand how satellites operate in different orbits and physics that applies to them.

You started your career as

While doing my master’s degree, I worked as an engineer in a legacy space firm. I was part of their Guidance, Navigation and Controls (GNC) team, contributing to a small GEO project by developing an analysis and flight software for one of its most critical components. After that, I decided to continue my studies and became a PhD student at Maynooth University. However, I started to miss aerospace and transitioned back to it, but this time to New Space. Here at ReOrbit, I work at the intersection of my interests: software, aerospace, and GNC. The physics geek in me loves the fact that I get to work on all three in one package.

Your most memorable memory so far

The first time I got to work hands-on with flight software; seeing it on my screen, modifying it, and understanding how my changes directly impact the system. There’s something exciting about interacting with something so critical to a spacecraft operation and knowing that what you’re building will eventually be launched into space.

Your most valuable lesson so far

It’s okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. I have had a habit of working through problems alone, overthinking solutions instead of asking for help. But I’ve realised how valuable it is to reach out to experienced people, get their insights, and move towards the iterations and testing phase quicker instead of getting stuck in theoretical problem-solving.

What nobody prepared you for

Long timelines of aerospace projects. Even in New Space, where things move fast, satellite missions can take years. I’ve always been eager to see things happen quickly, so adjusting to the reality of long development cycles has been an ongoing learning experience. In relation to this, I hadn’t fully appreciated before how valuable it is to experience every stage of a space mission: design, testing, assembly, and beyond. With our upcoming UKKO mission, I’m thrilled to take part in most of the stages myself.

The one thing that makes you smile

Working in a great team and making things happen together. It’s probably one of the simplest things, but it keeps the fire burning for me. Also, I love that the software I’m working on is closely tied to GNC. It’s like killing two birds with one stone, and I get to work in two fields that I really enjoy.

Imagine there are no technological limitations—what do you wish you could design/create in the space sector

I’d love to design a nuclear-powered spacecraft, as power capabilities are one of the challenges satellites face in space. Right now, we mostly rely on solar panels, but what if we had a spacecraft that carried its own nuclear reactor, that would be a game-changer. I came to think of it as we already have nuclear submarines that can stay underwater for long periods without resurfacing. That kind of outstanding power could extend satellite lifetimes and open up interesting new opportunities.