From Porirua to the stars with NASA Engineer Mana Vautier

A message from Liz Kelly, CEO

When NASA aerospace engineer Mana Vautier (Ngāi Tahu, Te Arawa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Kahungunu) stepped into the Porirua Whānau Centre, he brought more than stories of rockets and astronauts.

He brought a message of hope, humility, and perseverance.

The Māori engineer, who dreams of becoming the first Māori astronaut, visited the Whānau centre during his brief trip to Aotearoa, sharing his journey from a young boy with big dreams to a key player in one of the world’s most advanced space agencies.

For the tamariki and wāhine who gathered, it was a moment that connected the farthest reaches of space to their own backyard.

TJ Fermanis from the Whānau Centre described the visit as something truly special.

Unlike Mana’s larger public appearances (including a 400-person at Te Rauparaha Arena 'He Wawata Nui) this was a smaller, more personal exchange.

“He just sat down and had kai with everyone,” TJ says.

“It was intimate. The tamariki were asking all sorts of questions, about Neil Armstrong, life on Mars, even Area 51, and he answered everything with honesty and humour.”

One moment that stood out was when a woman from the group presented Mana with a Tino Rangatiratanga flag.

“She told him, ‘Get this on the moon. Don’t care how you do it’. That was such a proud, powerful moment. Everyone could feel the wairua in that.”

But the visit wasn’t just about space exploration, it was also about resilience.

Mana spoke openly about his own struggles: sleeping in a car with his wife while chasing his dream, seeking help from his church when times were hard, and turning down higher-paying jobs to stay true to his passion.

“He kept saying, ‘If you choose a profession you love, you’ll never work a day in your life’,” TJ says.

“And his other line stuck with us, too: ‘Try until you fail, and when you fail, you try again. But you never fail to try.’”

The visit left the community buzzing with inspiration. For many tamariki, seeing someone who looked like them, who spoke with warmth and humility, working at NASA made the idea of aiming for the stars feel real.

“He reminded everyone that greatness can come from anywhere, even Porirua,” TJ says. “It wasn’t just about space; it was about believing in yourself.”