On July 20, 1969, the United States won the Space Race when astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped foot on the Moon for the first time in human history. This galactic accomplishment precedes many more, such as the first spacecraft to pass Neptune in August of 1989, the first to orbit Jupiter in December of 1995, and first to deliver a crew to the International Space Station in November of 2000..
The backbone of accomplishments like these are the developing technologies of the times – and the documentation that allows for such technology to be used.
Technical writing has played an instrumental part in the various successes of NASA. In the time of the Moon landing, flight controllers created written procedures that were tested by various trials, including simulations with crew and flight control team members. Before publication, these procedures passed through the control board for approval. Any updates would usually be made in real-time by flight crew, though they were not allowed to write their own procedures without Mission Control’s input.
For more modern excursions, procedures are published electronically and stored in a library for flight crew to access on their personal devices. However, there are unique cases where procedures were created on the ground and then sent to the flight crew with a messaging system. There is no longer a board of approvers now, but depending on the machinery used, there might be some signoffs needed. Regardless of the year, there is a plethora of evidence that technical writing has transcended Earth!
So, how does one begin the journey to being a technical writer in space?
There are many fields to become knowledgeable in to impress a team like NASA’s. Such fields include aerospace engineering, planetary science, astrophysics, and life support systems. Once those are understood, there are several different ways that a job in aerospace technical writing could manifest. You could primarily write aircraft maintenance manuals, pilot operating handbooks, takeoff checklists, illustrated parts catalogs, and more. The most general tip that seems to be circulating for aerospace tech writers and TWs as a whole is empathy for your audience and SMEs.
While much work and expertise go into becoming an aerospace technical writer, there can be consolation in the demand for those with these qualifications – not to mention a starting salary of $75,000 to $80,000 per year, on average. Although a recommended MA in English, or MS in Engineering is not easily obtained, the ends will always justify the means of being a part of a select group of writers in space!
Resources
“Aerospace Technical Writer Salary.” ZipRecruiter. 5/30/24. Accessed 6/4/24. https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Aerospace-Technical-Writer-Salary
Anastasia. “Technical Writers in Outer Space.” ClickHelp. 1/17/20. Accessed 6/4/24. https://clickhelp.com/clickhelp-technical-writing-blog/technical-writers-in-outer-space/
Leahy, Bart. “Heroic Technical Writing: Advice and Insights on the Business of Technical Communication.” 7/25/19. Accessed 6/4/24. https://heroictechwriting.com/2019/07/25/technical-writing-in-space/
“Space exploration – Milestones, Achievements, History.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed 6/4/24. https://www.britannica.com/science/space-exploration/Major-milestones
