SpaceX Completes Starship Test Flight as Nicola Fox Discusses Women in Science

Nicola Fox recalled being one of just four women in her university science course in 1991, reflecting on decades of gradual change in Stem fields.

SpaceX Completes Starship V3 Test Flight and Splashdown

SpaceX executed a successful test flight of its Starship megarocket, culminating in a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean roughly an hour after liftoff. The milestone marks the 13th test flight for the massive vehicle and serves as the first flight as a publicly traded company. Operations faced an early obstacle when the company cited engine failure at liftoff during an aborted launch attempt the previous week.

This mission also marked the second flight for the V3 iteration of Starship.

Reflecting on Decades of Women in Science

Nicola Fox recounted entering a university science lecture hall in 1991 to find she was one of just four women on her science course. Although student enrollment and graduation rates in science, technology, engineering, and math have improved over the decades, figures from Stem Women suggest that overall workforce participation parity with men remains decades away.

Split screen showing a rocket launch on the left and splashdown into the ocean on the right — Photo: BBC

“If somebody says girls don’t do that, then that’s just not true.”

Nicola Fox, via BBC

Fox advised young women entering scientific disciplines to ignore discouraging claims and follow their curiosity. She attributed her early fascination with space to her father, who showed her the television broadcast of the moon landing when she was just eight months old. At the same time, she credited her mother with instilling the personal drive necessary to navigate demanding technical fields.

“Even though she may not want to walk on the moon, she was going to make sure I had every opportunity if I wanted to.”

Nicola Fox, via BBC

Broader Aerospace and Research Developments

In Pembrokeshire, the Ministry of Defence is pursuing a massive 20-meter-high space radar installation that faces strong local opposition from campaigners. Meanwhile, professional regulatory bodies continue addressing public conduct, as demonstrated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council issuing an interim suspension for a mayoral candidate over social media commentary.