Written by Claire Wilson, Intern for the Vienna Space Internship Program for 2025

As we commence our third week at ESPI it is almost unimaginable to believe that we are nearly halfway into the Vienna Internship.

From getting settled into a new city, wrapping my head around new concepts, and enjoying all that Vienna has to offer, the time here has truly passed in the blink of an eye.

 

 

Life at ESPI

In our time at ESPI, Ellie and I have been assigned a range of different tasks that have expanded our understanding of the EU space sector. Thus far I have assisted with the policy and programme section of the insights, a monthly publication outlining relevant space news, as well as working on research around Iris², the multi-orbital constellation, and in the field R&I for security and defence in the space sector.  The team at ESPI has been amazing, and the familiarity that is built both at the office and socially outside has made this experience truly special. Speaking of familiarity, Ellie and I even accidentally coordinated an outfit one day!

Life outside ESPI

Vienna is a spectacular city, with so much to offer from art, culture and history. I have tried to make the most of my weekends and evenings in Vienna, from seeing famous artworks such as Klimt’s “the Kiss” at Belveder Castle, to strolling the beautiful cathedrals, taking in the bibliosmia of the old texts in the Australian National library and adventuring the historic areas of Vienna (to name a few). The Vienna Internship has truly been such a wonderful experience so far, and I cannot wait to see what the next half brings!