Claire Parfitt once cleaned space toilets, now leads Mars exploration teams

 At the age of fourteen, Claire Parfitt’s unique introduction to the space industry involved cleaning toilets in space. Undeterred, she later pursued her passion through higher education in physics and engineering. Ascending through diverse roles in the UK space industry, she now leads exploration teams at the European Space Agency, dedicating her efforts to pioneering future human and robotic missions to Mars. At the age of fourteen, Claire Parfitt’s unique introduction to the space industry involved cleaning toilets in space. Undeterred, she later pursued her passion through higher education in physics and engineering. Ascending through diverse roles in the UK space industry, she now leads exploration teams at the European Space Agency, dedicating her efforts to pioneering future human and robotic missions to Mars.