I’ve been fortunate enough to speak with many trailblazers in the space industry, but my recent conversation with Sebastian Klaus, co-founder and CEO of Atmos Space, genuinely struck a chord. Not only is Sebastian’s journey fascinating, but the way he views challenges and leadership is refreshing, inspiring, and honestly quite motivating.

Sebastian didn’t come from a background traditionally associated with space. Growing up in what he described as “the middle of nowhere” in Germany, his spark was lit at the age of 17, inspired by the groundbreaking flight of Spaceship One. Overnight, his school grades transformed – straight A’s in maths and physics – because he’d discovered his calling: aerospace engineering.

He quickly recognised that the German military offered him not just a free education and salary, but invaluable leadership skills. Joining first the mountain infantry, then paratroopers, Sebastian balanced military duties with intensive studies, focusing his bachelor’s thesis on atmospheric re-entry – an early signpost to his future. After obtaining his Master’s degree at Airbus Defence and Space, specialising in propulsion technology, Sebastian returned to active military service, this time in special operations, completing tours in Afghanistan and Africa.

What struck me most about our chat was how clearly Sebastian connected his military training to entrepreneurial leadership in space tech. He distilled these lessons down to three powerful takeaways:

1. Lead by Example: You can’t expect others to outwork you if you’re heading home early. Leadership is about being visible, committed, and driven from the top.
2. Own Your Problems: No excuses, no blaming suppliers. If it’s your responsibility, you see it through. Simple as that.
3. Respect the Experience Around You: Leadership isn’t about barking orders. Sebastian described scenarios where his subordinates had vastly more experience. It taught him humility and the crucial skill of leveraging everyone’s strengths – something essential for any effective leader.

Atmos Space itself reflects Sebastian’s personality; ambitious, bold, yet practical. The company, co-founded in 2021, is Europe’s first commercial enterprise specialising in inflatable heat shields designed to return payloads from space safely. They’re aiming to tackle the industry’s biggest hurdles: high costs and lack of sustainability. In essence, Atmos Space is working towards a reusable future, radically reducing costs by recovering spacecraft components rather than discarding them after a single use.

Sebastian and his co-founders built their company by carefully assembling a dream team. He told me about Marta, the COO, who left a pivotal role at Arianespace after launching the James Webb Telescope; Jeff, the CTO, who spent 18 years crafting massive scientific satellites; and Chris, who was part of an asteroid-sampling mission millions of kilometres from Earth. That’s not just talent; it’s space-industry royalty.

I resonated with Sebastian’s candid approach to failure. In our Instagram-filtered world, setbacks often get hidden behind success stories. But Sebastian is frank: failure is normal, even essential. He explained how Atmos had to rapidly rethink their approach after their initial ceramic fan design

dramatically failed during testing. They responded quickly, pivoted to high-temperature metals, and pushed forward – an essential trait of any thriving start-up.

This conversation got me reflecting about talent in space, something close to my heart as Director at EVONA, the #1 space recruitment company. Sebastian’s journey proves that talent can be found in unexpected places; whether it’s the military, automotive industry, or even agriculture. Passion, drive, and resilience are as critical as technical skills. It’s vital to make space accessible, not just for astrophysicists or engineers but for everyone inspired by the opportunities that lie beyond our planet.

Sebastian and I agree on something vital: space must be relatable. He highlighted practical examples like Starlink, which brings tangible benefits to everyday life, making space seem less distant, less mysterious, and much more relevant.

Wrapping up our chat, Sebastian offered simple yet potent advice: find something you truly love and pursue it relentlessly. It sounds straightforward, but it’s exactly this blend of passion and perseverance that’s required to succeed, especially in an industry as challenging and rewarding as space.

I left our conversation feeling energised and genuinely inspired. Sebastian Klaus represents precisely the kind of leadership our industry needs – grounded, insightful, and forward-thinking.

If Sebastian’s story has piqued your interest in space or inspired you to explore your own potential within this booming industry, don’t hesitate. Talent is needed everywhere.