Maggie Aderin-Pocock has loved looking at the night sky since she was a child, growing up in London. When she was young, she saved up some money so she could buy her first telescope. Unfortunately, it didn’t work that well. But then Aderin-Pocock saw an advert for telescope-making classes in Camden. She went along and learnt all about how telescopes are made. By the end the course, she had fixed her telescope and was finally able to track distant stars.

After an inspirational science teacher helped teenage Aderin-Pocock succeed at school even though she had the challenge of dyslexia, Aderin-Pocock studied physics at university and later graduated with a PhD in mechanical engineering. She started her career working for the Ministry of Defence, but now she builds satellites that are sent into space. Aderin-Pocock also loves sharing her passion for science with others. She visits lots of schools, telling students about space and about her work, which has taken her all over the world.

Aderin-Pocock’s passion, determination and faith in herself has helped her dream of working as a space scientist come true. In an article in The Guardian, she said, “I knew there was more to me than people expected and I wanted to prove it.”