The head of space at London’s Science Museum reflected on her career journey and the evolving significance of space exploration in a recent interview. Having moved to Swindon, Wiltshire, 12 years ago to take up a position at the UK Space Agency’s headquarters, she recounted her transition from working at the European Space Agency's control centre for the International Space Station (ISS) in Germany to her current role.

Her move to Swindon was driven by employment opportunities in the space sector rather than personal ties to the area. After relocating from Germany, where she had worked as flight director for the Columbus module—Europe’s laboratory on the ISS—she settled in the Old Town area, eventually purchasing several properties there. She currently resides in a Victorian red-brick home with her husband, Chris, a town planner. She notes her enjoyment of restoring original features and tending a large garden where she grows fruit, vegetables, and flowers.

In her capacity at the Science Museum in South Kensington, she holds strategic oversight of all space-related initiatives and serves as a spokesperson for the museum. Recently, she collaborated with the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester on the Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos exhibition. This display allows visitors to explore the solar system with guidance from characters featured in the CBBC science programme Horrible Science. The exhibition will remain open until January 3, 2027.

Her fascination with space was sparked early on by a childhood visit to the Science Museum where she saw the Apollo 10 command module. While still a student in sixth form in 1998, she reached out to NASA and was invited to complete a two-week placement at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, where she experienced space shuttle mission simulations firsthand. This experience solidified her decision to pursue a career in space science, despite initial doubts about accessibility.

During her seven years in Germany, she immersed herself in the international space community based in Munich. Despite not speaking German when she arrived, she adapted to life there, enjoying the city’s culture and proximity to ski slopes. She described mission control environments as places of calm, focus, and reverence, akin to a place of worship.

Discussing recent developments in space exploration, she highlighted the Artemis II mission, which sent astronauts further from Earth than ever before and allowed them to observe the far side of the moon. The mission primarily tested how four astronauts could live for ten days aboard the Orion spacecraft, about the size of a van. Future Artemis missions, including Artemis III planned for late 2027 and Artemis IV aimed for 2028, will focus on lunar landings and further exploration.

Regarding human settlement on Mars, she noted the significant challenges posed by distance, communication delays, and sustainability. Although current technology can support extended stays of varying lengths, creating a fully self-sustaining habitat remains a formidable hurdle. Accordingly, space agencies, particularly the United States, are focusing on the moon as a more immediate destination.

She emphasized the importance of public engagement with space science. She pointed out that space technology underpins many daily functions such as weather forecasting and global navigation and urged people to recognize Earth as a shared “Spaceship Planet.” By visiting institutions like the Science Museum and exhibitions like Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos, visitors can deepen their understanding of humanity’s connection to and reliance on space.