It’s Time

I’m officially a lady of leisure now! I had such a fabulous last day at RAL yesterday. 

It was so lovely catching up with so many friends and colleagues who I’ve enjoyed working with over the last 35 (or 36, lost count 🤭) years. It was fun to reminisce and so rewarding to know that my efforts over the years have been appreciated. 

Some people I haven’t seen for 5 years due to home-working and some I had only met via Zoom or calls before, so it was extra special. I’m not usually a hugger, but lots of people couldn’t escape me yesterday 😃

The cards and gifts I received were hugely appreciated and I’ve bought a Hotels.com voucher with the extremely generous collection.

I also had the excitement of a guided tour of the National Satellite Test Facility that I was so involved with for the last few years. I followed the building progress remotely but it was excellent to be inside the huge facility at last (Special thanks to Sean and Matthew). And when I say “huge” I’m not exaggerating - I mean, just look at the size of that door!!

Me and Sean

The whole facility is a giant clean room hence the hairnets, shoe covers and gowns. I was recognising equipment that I’d been involved in buying and marvelling at the grand scale of the place. It’s difficult to appreciate the scale from photos but the testing areas are an impressive 14m tall - satellites being tested prior to launch can move between the different suites without having to be re-boxed and cleaned.

The vibration facility and acoustic testing equipment are fascinating as is the thermal vacuum chamber, I mentioned it before, is the UK’s largest - it can run tests between -180° and 130° to represent the Sunny side and the dark side of space that the satellites encounter once launched.

Thermal Vacuum chamber 7m diameter; 12m long inside

But if I must have a favourite, and I do, it’s the electromagnetic compatibility area. I visited the tiny anechoic chamber at RAL about 10 years ago and was fascinated by it.

But look at this!

Looks AI-generated doesn’t it? But it’s not, I assure you …

Me and Matthew

And there’s a whole 14m box of it! Just astounding. When you’re in there the sound is weird because there’s no bounce-back; it’s quite odd and very special.

Anyway, the NSTF was just one of the reasons I loved working at RAL all those years and it’s a bit surreal thinking I no longer do! Jamie was working at RAL all those years ago and encouraged me to apply. I’m so glad he did x

I started in the library when computers were still a rarity in 1989/1990.

Then moved to Contracts where I began to love working with Excel spreadsheets (is that weird?) and then on to CLEO (Central Laboratory Electronic Office), which provided software support to the whole site including installing Exchange (our first proper email client) from a CD to every computer on-site (>1000)! I then moved into RALSpace for IT Support and had a 5-year period with the British Atmospheric Data Centre, doing various Helpdesk and data ingestion tasks, while I was on dialysis and after my transplant.

Celebrating 20 years of the BADC

And after another few years in IT Support I moved to the Project Controllers office, where I’ve been for about 10 years.

Day at Chilbolton with fellow project controllers, Derek & Ruth

The job has changed a lot over the years, as have the staff, but always involved assisting so many of these lovely RALSpace staff with their bids and projects.

It really has been brilliant working in such an interesting environment. And here’s an earlier Department photo.

I’ve enjoyed all my roles working with such a friendly, intelligent bunch of people, so I’ll miss it (a bit, sometimes 😊) but I know I’ll stay in touch with some of the friends I’ve made over the years. 

Again, Thankyou to all my friends and colleagues, some of whom will be reading this, please get in contact any time 😘 

Anyway, enough of that soppy nostalgia, it’s time to actually start thinking about this year’s allotment-planting as everyone expects me to grow some excellent produce now I’m retired!

Song title provided by Imagine Dragons.