Let's Space It. Lucio Ibarra

Space is arguably both finite and infinite while the universe is expanding, and this evokes ambition, excitement and puzzlement in humans. Out of which space technology, designed for space exploration, is born. Thus, it is even more interesting to learn the life stories of people behind innovation and technological development.

In this series of articles, we are introducing our colleagues behind ReOrbit technology. What brought them to the industry, their journeys towards humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier, lessons learnt and things they’d create if there were no technological limitations.

Meet Lucio Ibarra, Mechanical Systems Engineer at ReOrbit. Originally from Bahía Blanca, Argentina, Lucio’s engineering path took him to Germany for structural analysis at Airbus before he returned home to manage projects on space, defence and nuclear fields, some of which involved R&D topics. Today, he works in our mechanical engineering team from Argentina, bridging the gap between complex solutions and the cross-functional collaboration required to make those solutions a reality.

Why did you choose space?

It wasn't straightforward, but like many young people, I was at a crossroads after high school. A career-path test suggested nuclear engineering, but I had been fascinated by aeroplanes since I was young, so I chose aeronautical engineering instead. Space and aeronautics have always been closely linked—even the major space agencies have their dedicated aeronautics research centres.

After working on the Airbus A320, I had the opportunity to return home to contribute to the ARSAT program, Argentina’s first GEO satellite. It allowed me to work in the space field, broadening my knowledge while seeing my family more often, so it was an easy decision.

You started your career as...

In Germany, I completed my thesis developing a structural analysis tool based on the Finite Element Method (FEM) to evaluate stresses and mode shapes in composite wing designs, then continued as a VTP Vertical-Tail-Plane specialist on the A320 product line. Back in Argentina at INVAP, I worked across a wide range of projects: satellites, radar systems, opto-mechanics, laser research and cryogenics for the nuclear field.
I had the opportunity to do everything from hands‑on lab work to managing projects, alongside incredibly clever and talented colleagues. One of them became a true mentor to me. It is rare and difficult to find someone who fits that role both in engineering and in life, so that was a particularly valuable experience.

Your most memorable moment so far?

The ARSAT launch. It was a huge milestone where everything we worked for finally converged. You see colleagues you knew were part of the project but had never met in person, and you get this sudden feeling of being united as one team.
In the research field, our team was assigned to a specific project that we completed after long hours of work. Sometime later, we received confirmation that our overall mission succeeded as well. Knowing we contributed to the completion of a project of that significance is one of my best memories.

Your most valuable lesson so far?

When you work on large-scale projects, you have to build trust. Not everything is in your control. Eventually, you have to come together to accomplish the bigger goal.
Often, departments assume their system is the most important based on budget or complexity, but every part matters for the entity to function. If you can create synergy among teams, you can accomplish something much greater than the sum of the parts.

The one thing that makes you smile?

My sister just had a baby, so I’m officially an uncle. I’ve never had this feeling before—I’m constantly waiting for new pictures or updates about him. My mind used to be filled with work or chores, but this new little person has appeared in my life. Not everything is work or equations; we have to make time for people. That richness brings me unexpected joy.

What nobody prepared you for?

University teaches you numbers and theories. You build knowledge, but you aren't graded on people skills. We are trained for technical work, yet we work with people—and we need to trust one another. In engineering, we try to avoid relying solely on opinions; you need numbers to make a calculated decision; as they say at NASA's mission control, "In god we trust; all others bring data.”

Imagine there are no technological limitations, what do you wish you could design/create in the space sector‍?

Communications and transport are key challenges we need to solve. You can already see it with cars – even on the Autobahn in Germany, traffic builds up. The same is happening with aircraft routes, data transfer and now space is becoming crowded as well.
Orbits are filling up, and we need to be looking at alternatives, perhaps better ways to place more satellites in the same region through improved location accuracy and more precise control systems.
In comms, the bigger the distance, the greater the delay. With Mars, it’s around 15 minutes. To truly expand further, we need to overcome those physics limits, such as the speed of light. Quantum entanglement could be one possibility – entangling particles on Earth and Mars to enable instant communication. It’s similar to how communication evolved from delayed phone calls to near-instant connections. We solved that challenge already once. Now we need to solve the next one.