IT Technician
Alister is an IT Support Officer at SaxaVord Spaceport
I work for SaxaVord Spaceport, which is the only vertical rocket launch facility in the UK. It’s located in Unst in the Shetland Islands – as far north as you can get in the UK! I keep our on-site computer systems working, fix faults, install new kit and generally help colleagues with their tech issues. My job is an essential part of making sure rocket launches can take place safely and successfully.
I love being part of something big and exciting. One day I might be doing something small like checking cables, but other days I might be helping plan how we communicate with satellites in space – there’s such variety.
I also get involved in the ground station work, which takes me out on site visits which I enjoy. I get to explore things like how antennae can communicate with satellites. It’s a great mix of hands-on fixing and real-world problem solving and it’s rewarding to know that what I do is supporting the future of the UK space industry.
Troubleshooting is number one. I need to think like a computer, not a human. If something is working and something else isn’t – where is the break? Technical thinking and troubleshooting go hand in hand.
Communication is important too, I need to keep everyone updated on what’s happening. I also need to be flexible and available to help people when they need it as I’m the on-site go-to person for IT, with teammates based in other offices not even on the same island as us.
Planning ahead is also essential – we have to wait a long time for deliveries up here, and sometimes we even need to get on a boat to another island to go and buy something!
We’re very close because of where we live. On a small island you see the same people a lot, we all know and support each other. We go to the same events and all help out when it’s busy. I work with lots of different teams like operations, range, security and facilities and it feels like one big team.
My music speaker goes everywhere. It helps me focus, especially when working alone – I like to listen to a wide range of music, I’ll listen to anything!
My handiest tools are my cable crimpers and my tiny screwdriver. Simple tools, but they make the job so much easier.
I love long walks. I’ve done the West Highland Way, which takes about seven days, and I’m planning another multi-day trail.
I also volunteer with the Coastguard as a coastal rescue officer. On a remote island there aren’t cinemas or restaurants, so we have to find other things to do!
An exciting task was a site visit to plan a new ground station, which would connect a very remote island to the internet. I had the freedom to plan the project, travel out by boat and then walk the site with a spectrum analyser, which checks signal strength.
Using it makes you feel like a ghost hunter as you point the antenna around and watch radio signals on the screen, checking for interference and where to run power and data cables.
We learnt things a map can’t tell you, like when there’s a rock in the way of a signal. Unless you are there, you wouldn't know these details.
We don’t launch rockets ourselves at the spaceport, we provide the location, launch pad and systems that let rocket companies launch their rockets safely. We are like an airport, and the rocket companies are like the airlines who own the aeroplanes.
The reason this location has been chosen is because rockets can launch north safely, as there’s no land between here and the North Pole. This keeps people safe, and it’s great for putting satellites into polar orbits, which are harder to reach from other spaceports.
Go for it. I used to think I wasn’t ready to email a spaceport or even apply for college. I didn’t feel confident. But you can learn on the job, learn from others and you will develop your skills and build your confidence. Take the leap and see what happens.
Discover what qualifications you’ll need, how much you can earn, and what the next steps are.
