From engineer to space and defence leader – Matti Anttila, the man at ESA’s negotiating table
Matti Anttila has travelled an exceptional journey from a little boy’s technology dreams to a top expert. His views are of interest to both the Prime Minister of Finland and international actors, starting from the European Space Agency ESA. Through his work, Anttila wants to contribute to building a safe world for his children and future generations.
Already as a child, Anttila enjoyed electronics; the spark of building with Lego and home electrical appliances led him into the world of engineering physics and space technology. “In upper secondary school, I was keen on physics and mathematics, so technical studies were a natural choice,” he says. His childhood dreams of becoming a doctor were replaced by engineering studies, when the desire to help people with technology remained strongly alive.
In his hometown Tampere, towards the end of his studies, Anttila made a decision. He joined Space Systems Finland, an Espoo-based space company, to do his master’s thesis on space technology. A field, which his professor had urged to forget as “in Finland it would have no future.”
The decision offered Anttila more than he could have expected. “I graduated with a M.Sc. (Tech.) degree in 2001, and my desk was already full of space projects at that time,” he says.
Soon after, Anttila had the opportunity to carry out his doctoral research of European Space Agency ESA’s project for Helsinki University of Technology, now Aalto University. The goal of the project was to develop a device that could drill beneath the surface of Mars and take deep samples, possibly to find traces of past life. Anttila’s work with drill automation software and energy requirement calculation culminated in his doctoral degree, and the prototype he developed served as the basis for ESA’s ExoMars rover.
“The doctoral research was a natural part of Space Systems Finland’s continuum of Mars rover projects and an amazing journey to the geological studies of the surface of Mars – we even built a kind of terrarium that simulated the sand of Mars. Here we were consulted by the Department of Geology of the University of Helsinki.”
Anttila calculates that he has been involved in more than fifty ESA projects during his career.
Journey towards the ministries’ negotiating tables
Anttila’s work is driven by a strong desire to have an impact on the future and safety of society. Space Systems Finland started the first Finnish Defence Forces projects in 2015, and Anttila was involved in them from the very beginning. “It was great to be able to expand the possibilities of space technology to the defence sector as well,” he says. After Space Systems Finland merged into Huld, the work continued. Today, Anttila leads defence sales at Huld and continues to work strongly with space projects, especially regarding the everyday services that space technology can offer.
In his career, Anttila has faced various challenges, but the most significant experiences he associates with people and the sense of community, which helps to cope through harder times.
“The meaningfulness of work is not measured by projects or results alone, but by doing something that benefits society,” he ponders.
Anttila describes his working days as mobile. “I’ve bought a car charger for my laptop because so many phone meetings take place in the parking lots of a gas stations between customer meetings,” Anttila says. Especially the offices in Jyväskylä, Tampere and Oulu have become familiar, as have the customers of these regions.
Pioneer in space and defence technology
Anttila works actively to develop the field. He is the vice-chair of the Finnish Defence and Aerospace Industries Association (PIA), heads PIA’s space industry group and is also a member of the Finnish Space Committee.
These responsibilities require cooperation in a wide field – from companies to ministries and international organisations. In the summer, Anttila participated in a discussion led by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on defence and technologies. “It’s exciting to sit at the same table with the Prime Minister and leading experts in the field,” he admits. “But we are all human beings. Even ministers are at the coffee table like any of us.”
According to Anttila, space technology has become closer and closer to everyday life – many people may not understand that a meal ordered late at night from a hamburger restaurant arrives at their doorstep thanks to satellite positioning. “Technology has become cheaper, information systems have become faster, and numerous companies in the field have also emerged in Finland. The service sector, which utilises space technology on Earth, has developed exponentially,” Anttila lists.
In defence technology, he estimates that the development will bring faster and more agile solutions to the everyday life. The dual use of technology is commonplace.
Towards a better future for future generations
Anttila is not afraid to talk about the failures in his career, which he considers to be his best lessons. “I’ve had projects that have failed and where customers haven’t been happy,” he says. In his opinion, failures provide the most valuable information – they help you understand what not to do again.
Anttila’s passion and energy stem from his family and spending time in nature. He is proud of his teenage daughter, who has followed in his footsteps as a diver and science grader. When Anttila is asked about his biggest dreams, the answer quickly turns to family and social responsibility.
“Children’s happiness and a safe future mean everything to me. When I think about the future, I think that all the work I do is aimed at giving my children a good life.”
Anttila looks to the future with humble confidence. Technology itself, whether satellites or defence systems, is equally designed and controlled by humans. At the same time, Anttila’s values are guided by the understanding that rapid technological development also carries with it responsibility for the well-being of society. In his career, Anttila is looking forward to the opportunity to continue working in the same field and with a good team, constantly learning new things.
“Work is at its best for me when I get to do it with people. In the end, all work is always cooperation and interaction between people – it means genuinely wanting to help the customer and understand what they need,” he sums up.
Matti Anttila
- Profession: Director, Defence & Space Business, Huld Oy
- Family: 2 daughters and a girlfriend
- Education: Doctor of Science (Technology), Space Technology
- The most memorable moment of my career: National Defence Course 241 a couple of years ago. Visits to Parliament’s Defence Committee have also been a matter of honour. I’ve even been to the European Space Agency’s astronaut tests twice, but my journey stopped in a group of around two hundred people, when there were over 10,000 applicants.
- My biggest dream: I hope that my children and future generations will have a safe and happy future in our stable society.