Katherine Bennell-Pegg made Aussie space history. Now, she has a powerful message for the next generation.

Australia has officially entered a new era of aspiration. Over the long weekend in Canberra, Katherine Bennell-Pegg — a space engineer and the first astronaut to qualify under the Australian flag — was named the 2026 Australian of the Year.

Katherine's journey is one of relentless persistence. Selected from over 22,000 applicants to train at the European Astronaut Centre, she has spent her career proving that 'the sky is the limit' is an outdated concept. 

As a Director at the Australian Space Agency and a reservist group captain in the Air Force, she is now using her platform to ensure that the next generation of Australian scientists and explorers don't have to leave home to find their place among the stars.

For Katherine, the path to the stars was always the only plan. While most children cycle through various dream jobs, she remained laser-focused on a single goal. Reflecting on her childhood, she noted that seven out of 10 primary schoolers today share that same dream of space flight.

Listen to The Quicky for more on Katherine Bennell-Pegg's life. Article continues after podcast.

"When I was young, I was drawn into it for the adventure and the exploration. But as I grew older, I fell in love with science. I loved doing sports and flying and physics, and I wanted to be part of being at the cutting edge of the cutting edge and making new knowledge," Katherine said on The Quicky. 

"And now, as an astronaut, I see it's so much bigger than that. It's about enabling research into every field and helping to inspire the next generation to do hard things." 

However, her path wasn't always clear. Before the establishment of the Australian Space Agency in 2018, pursuing a career in space often meant moving overseas.

"I saw that the world needed space and so did Australia and that it was happening overseas... I thought that's what my path would be, having to leave our country behind," Katherine said. 

To the public, an astronaut is a hero in a pressurised suit. To Katherine, the role is a demanding blend of high-stakes engineering and blue-collar grit. She describes the daily reality of astronaut training as being a "space tradie," where technical mastery meets survival instincts.

"We're scientists in the sky... we're space tradies fixing the station, doing the plumbing, doing the air-con. We are medical test subjects, we are doctors looking after each other," she explained. 

The training is gruelling, involving everything from winter survival and firefighting to learning foreign languages and space economics. Yet, she views this intense preparation as a gift.

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"The wonderful, wonderful thing about being an astronaut is that you're sentenced to always be learning," she said.

"Learning from the most interesting people doing the most interesting work, and you have the privilege of being able to shine a light on all the people doing that work in your country and around the world."

While her technical achievements are historic, Katherine is equally committed to her role as a STEM ambassador. She is a fierce advocate for breaking down barriers in science and engineering, particularly for young girls and children from regional areas. She believes that talent is universal, but opportunity must be cultivated.

"Curiosity and talent have no postcode or no gender, no background, it's absolutely everywhere. Aspiration is limited, though, we need to give young people the confidence and ability to strive," she said. 

Her message to young Australians is simple: you don't need a perfect resume to start making a difference.

"Science, engineering, they're not in textbooks. They're courageous, they're in the world around us, and you don't have to wait to be top of the class to go and participate," she added.

As she steps into her role as Australian of the Year, Katherine is focused on making hidden space technology visible to the average Australian. She points out that our banking, transport, and food systems all rely on satellite technology — much of which is currently controlled by foreign entities.

As for whether we will see her on a launchpad soon? She remains ready, waiting for the moment Australia chooses to "step forward."

"I hope all Australians can look up knowing that there's no aspiration too big for Australia or any Australian here when it's worthwhile pursuing."

Feature Image: Instagram/aussieastrokatherine.