# Rejected by NASA at 14, she now leads ESA’s Mars missions 2026-08-15T02:08:06+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Claire Parfitt, now 42, was rejected by Nasa for work experience as a 14-year-old. She turned to the UK's National Space Centre in Leicester, helping unpack exhibits including a space toilet. That placement set her on a path to a physics degree and a PhD, then into the British space industry. In 2019 she joined the European Space Agency (ESA), where she now leads Mars exploration studies and chairs an international working group coordinating Mars missions between space agencies. Her work includes the ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover, scheduled for launch in 2028. ## Coverage - economictimes.indiatimes.com Tags: European Space Agency, ExoMars Rosalind Franklin, Mars, NASA Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/rejected-by-nasa-at-14-she-now-leads-esas-mars-missions/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/rejected-by-nasa-at-14-she-now-leads-esas-mars-missions/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.