Rockets

Early Life

Edward Makuka Nkoloso was born in 1919 in what was Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). He was a soldier during World War II and later worked as a teacher and translator for the government. He did not like how the British ruled his country, so he joined a movement that fought for Zambia's freedom. He even got arrested for it!  

After Zambia gained independence, Nkoloso became very active in politics and science. In 1960, he began the Zambia National Academy of Science, Space Research and Philosophy.    

Early Life

Hazza was born in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He spent much of his childhood near the Liwa Desert where he would stargaze and dream about being a pilot. He graduated from Khalifa bin Zayed Air College in 2004 with a degree in aviation. He went on to join the UAE Armed Forces and became a military pilot. In 2018, he was one of two people selected to become the UAE’s first astronauts. Over 4000 people applied.

Early Life

Tim was born and grew up in Chichester in the UK. His mum was a midwife and his dad a journalist. He went to air shows as a child which sparked his interest in flying. He left school at 18 to study at a military academy and join the British Army. Tim began flight training and became a helicopter pilot, going on to teach others to fly. During his time in the army he studied for a degree in Flight Dynamics from the University of Portsmouth.

Early Life

Katherine Johnson grew up in West Virginia, USA. Her mother was a teacher and her father a farmer and handyman. Katherine was curious about numbers from an early age and took every course in maths she could at West Virginia State College. She graduated with the highest honours in 1937 and took a job teaching at a Black public school in Virginia. In 1939, Katherine became the first Black woman to study for a postgraduate qualification at West Virginia University. She then took a break from studying and teaching to have children.