On determination and effective scarcity: Alumni Talk with Dr Hans Königsmann

Our Alumni Talk with Dr Hans Königsmann attracted 75 participants, many of them from the space sciences, who peppered our guest from California with questions about his career, Elon Musk and the first manned Mars mission. There was something for everyone. Among other things, online mentoring: Would it be better to apply for a job in the auto industry or in the aerospace industry? What is more important in rocket construction – hardware or software? A fascinating talk with a congenial alumnus.

Königsmann did his doctorate at ZARM, the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity at the University of Bremen, and then went to the USA for the first stop in his professional career. There he met Elon Musk, was one of the first three employees of the then start-up SpaceX, and from 2011–2021 was vice president and chief engineer for rocket launches at what is now probably the most successful private space company in the world. "Among the many other things I learned there," Königsmann revealed, “was how much Elon Musk's single-mindedness contributed to the success of the company – and how effective scarcity and brevity can be. Rarely does Elon Musk answer an email with more than ‘yes’ or ‘no’." It was an entertaining but also highly educational hour with our alumnus, who was very open about his academic and entrepreneurial life path. The good news for all Bremeners: As a new member of the supervisory board of the Bremen-based aerospace company OHB SE, Königsmann will continue to have close ties with the Hanseatic city.

You can watch Dr Hans Königsmann's presentation on our YouTube channel.