Meet Space Experts

Dr. Jess Wade talks lasers, #girlsinSTEM and the importance of Maths

Hi Jess! So, you’re a physicist, but that title covers so many different things! Can you describe a typical day in your work life, for us? Hi Team Space Diary! I work in the Department of Physics and Centre for Plastic Electronics at Imperial College London. This is tough as there is no such thing […]

How do astronauts use the toilet in space?

Well it’s officially World Toilet Day today and—with a little help from our friend Tim Peake—we thought we’d help answer the most frequently asked question astronauts receive: How do astronauts use the toilet in space? Take it away, Tim!

Abbie Hutty on finding life on Mars and how engineers have all the fun!

Congratulations on becoming the youngest person ever to become a Fellow at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers! Can you describe a typical day in your work life, for us? I’m the Lead Spacecraft Structures Engineer for ExoMars – Europe’s first Mars Rover mission. That means I’m in charge of the team of experts and specialists […]

5 Minutes With… Sean Goldsbrough, Orbital Analyst, UK Space Agency

What is your job – can you describe a typical day in your work life? That’s not an easy question for me! The focus of my work can differ from one day to the next. Today I could be evaluating a potential collision in space and tomorrow I might be working to evolve our national […]

5 minutes with… Iya Whiteley, Space Psychologist and Director of the Centre for Space Medicine, University College London

What is your job – can you describe a typical day in your work life? My profession is a Space Psychologist, the title of my job is Director of the Centre for Space Medicine at the University College London. The Centre is part of one of the largest Space Laboratories in Europe, the Mullard Space […]

Dr. Sally Ride: America’s First Female Astronaut

On 18 June 1983, 32-year-old Sally Ride became America’s first female astronaut to go to space, the third woman in history to go to space, the first known LGBT astronaut to go to space and she remains the youngest American who has gone to space. Dr. Ride, studied at Stanford University and earned bachelor’s degrees […]

Helen Sharman astronaut principia Space Diary

Helen Sharman: Britain’s first astronaut

On 18th May 1991, Dr. Helen Sharman became Britain’s first astronaut in space and the first woman to visit the Mir space station, beating out 13,000 hopefuls after responding to a radio ad requesting ‘Astronaut Applications. No experience necessary’ for Project Juno. “It wasn’t so much going to space as the training that appealed,” she says. “Living […]

Lucy Hawking author of Principia Space Diary

5 minutes with… Lucy Hawking, Author

What is your job – can you describe a typical day in your work life? My job is to work with scientists, astronauts and technology experts to find ways to write about their work for a young audience. I do this through story telling – finding a way to weave an adventure story around their […]

Vinita Marwaha Madill principia space diary women in STEM

5 minutes with… Vinita Marwaha Madill, Space Operations Engineer at the European Space Agency

What is your job – can you describe a typical day in your work life? I’m a Space Operations Engineer at the European Space Agency (ESA) working on future human spaceflight projects, including the European Robotic Arm (ERA). The European Robotic Arm has been developed by ESA and is soon be launched to the […]

5 minutes with… Richard Crowther, Chief Engineer, UK Space Agency

What is your job – can you describe a typical day in your work life? There’s no such thing as a typical day. One day, I may be dealing with a satellite or rocket that is expected to fall back to Earth after being in space for many years, another I’ll be trying to determine […]

5 minutes with… Peter McOwan, Professor of Computer Science, Queen Mary, University of London

What is your job – can you describe a typical day in your work life? I’m a Professor of Computer Science at Queen Mary University of London. I take classes and teach, a bit like a school teacher, but my classes are much bigger and take place in large rooms called lecture theatres, which can […]

Sheila Kanani Principia Space Diary women in STEM awesome female scientists

5 Minutes with… Sheila Kanani, Astronomer, Royal Astronomical Society

What is your job – can you describe a typical day in your work life? My job is Education, Outreach and Diversity Officer at the Royal Astronomical Society. I have no typical day at work! I got to where I am today from a very varied route. I have a PhD in Planetary Physics and […]

5-Minutes with… Mike Salter, Urthecast Electronic Design Engineer

Mike is an engineer who works at Urthecast. Just two years after graduating from university, two Earth-imagine cameras which Mike had played a major role in developing were installed on the ISS. Not a bad start to a career in space engineering! What is your job – can you describe a typical day in your […]

Berti Meisinger Principia Space Diary women in STEM awesome female scientists

5-Minutes with… Berti Meisinger, ESA Mission Director

Berti Meisinger (ESA Mission Director) is Astronaut Tim Peake’s Mission Director and his main point of contact on Earth. We asked Berti to tell us about her job and give some advice to young space enthusiasts. What is your job – can you describe a typical day in your work life? In the morning, […]

5-Minutes with… Andrew Kuh, Human Spaceflight and Microgravity Programme Manager

That’s a long job title! What does it mean? Yes, it is a bit unwieldy! In a nutshell, it means I coordinate things to do with: 1. Astronauts, and 2. Research in space (principally science which uses one or more aspects of being in space – such as microgravity, radiation, isolation – so this encompasses […]

Libby Jackson Principia Space Diary women in STEM awesome female scientists

5-Minutes with… Libby Jackson, Education Programme Manager

What is your job – can you describe a typical day in your work life? My days vary – some days I’m in the office in Swindon, catching up with colleagues, having meetings and managing the education programme from my desk. I spend a lot of time on the phone as I have about 30 […]