Claire Parfitt, now leading Mars exploration teams, began her space career at 14 cleaning space toilets and unpacking artifacts at the National Space Centre in Leicester. After studying physics and spacecraft engineering, she worked on missions like ExoMars and SMILE before joining the European Space Agency.
A Swiss startup, VunaNexus, has developed a technology to transform human urine into a certified liquid fertilizer called Aurin. Initially seen as unconventional, the process gained traction due to soaring fertilizer prices and supply chain issues following the Russia-Ukraine war. The technology is being implemented in buildings across Europe and has roots in a pioneering project in South Africa.
John McFall, a British Paralympian and surgeon, could become the first person with a physical disability to live in orbit. The UK government has partnered with US company Vast to fund his potential mission to the Haven-1 space station, launching possibly in 2027.
European Space Agency chief Josef Aschbacher warns Europe's space program is underfunded, slow, and fragmented compared to the U.S., risking autonomy, especially as SpaceX dominates and global dependencies on space tech grow.
