Reaching for the stars – Emma Keogh’s journey to space

From biology lab to aspiring astronaut, discover Royal Holloway alumna Emma Keogh’s journey through science, engineering and human exploration all the way to the edge of space.

Montage of photos of Emma Keogh during her astronaut journey with dark grey 'Alumni story' banner and icon

The first time Emma Keogh put on an IVA spacesuit was the moment she thought “this is where I belong.”

Driven by a passion for discovery, Royal Holloway Alumna Emma has built a career spanning science, engineering and exploration. Grasping every opportunity that comes her way with both hands, she is moving step by step to making her dream a reality of one day becoming an astronaut.

*Emma wearing an IVA spacesuit during intravehicular activity suit testing in Florida*

The launchpad

Emma’s fascination with flight started young, watching planes take off from the local airport and dreaming about where they might go. That spark took flight on a visit to the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, where a meeting with NASA astronaut Story Musgrave proved pivotal. “I got a new hero that day and it’s been the anchor of my career ever since” she says, “I still speak to Story occasionally, and he never ceases to amaze me.”

Choosing to study at Royal Holloway, Emma specialised in neuroscience and human performance in extreme environments for her undergraduate degree. She became absorbed by the human body and particularly loved discovering more during the lab practical sessions that also helped to establish the sense of responsibility she feels towards working in science. Her standout moment? The opportunity to perform a brain dissection during her neuroscience module, which she describes as “profound, eye-opening and an unforgettable experience.”

But for Emma, university wasn’t just about labs and lessons.

“Royal Holloway is a great place for all-rounders with a passion for knowledge and curiosity – you get to explore new subjects, try new things, and develop yourself beyond your degree.”

Recalling the community on campus as vibrant, close-knit and supportive, Emma points out some of her closest friends came from different departments, recalling how the Holloway Balls gave them “a chance to celebrate, dress up, and socialise with everyone”. As a bookworm she loved spending time in the libraries, valued being able to rent piano practice rooms as an escape from the intensity of studying, and especially enjoyed sharing her enthusiasm for science by volunteering during Rare Diseases Day.

*Emma sitting on Founders balcony while still a student*

Learning to fly

Following graduation Emma worked in a hospital to gain clinical experience while she also completed a part-time masters in Biomedical Engineering. Working with a young patient suffering from a neuro-disability Emma was able to help her make progress with vocalisation and movement before she sadly passed away.

“Caring for her meant turning down opportunities such as pilot training and putting my astronaut dreams on hold, but it’s shaped my path and values profoundly, and I wouldn’t change that for the world.”

After this Emma redirected herself back towards her original goal. Pivoting into the aerospace industry she used the experience gained through an internship with Boeing Defence UK to become a Ministry of Defence engineer, eventually retrained as a Flight Test Observer (FTO). A career move that provided some unique and truly exciting opportunities.

“Jumping off the back of a ship at speed and learning to survive in a life raft at sea was very intense and fun.”

Completing hypoxia and centrifuge training she experienced what she describes as “a fascinating g-induced loss of consciousness (G-LOC)” and also became the first engineer to complete the Royal Air Force (RAF) Military Aviation Medical Examiner course. Her next move as a Flight Test Scientific Advisor to the RAF saw her seconded to the Airborne Experimentation Unit (AEU) for real-time flight trials and research.

Stepping into space

Branching into astronautics Emma also became a citizen scientist contributing to the research of the European Space Agency (ESA) and completing a scholarship in Human Space Physiology with them.

She was also accepted into the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS), gaining a place on their Fundamentals of Astronautics (AST 101) course, the pre-requisite for all subsequent astronautics training. The course, an immersive month-long introduction into the concepts and systematic planning of scientific human spaceflight missions is designed and taught by former astronauts, their trainers and IIAS scientists. Emma was particularly excited to take part in the week long residential in Florida where she got the chance to experience a high-G flight practising the anti-G straining manoeuvre, test IVA suborbital flight spacesuits, and undertake scenario-based physiological training in an advanced chamber program at the Southern AeroMedical Institute which simulates high-altitude flight.

“It was an intense and incredibly rewarding course that combined study with hands-on operational experience.”

Exploring new frontiers

Emma’s journey into astronautics has continued to gather momentum ever since.

In 2025, she was sponsored by the UK Space Agency and the ESA to attend the prestigious Space Studies Program at the International Space University in South Korea. Two months of lectures, workshops, and projects covering everything from space science to engineering, space law to human performance saw her diving even deeper into achieving her dream. Her team won the hands-on astronaut selection challenge “Have You Got What It Takes?” and she also contributed to a project on sustainable lunar infrastructure.

The opportunity to collaborate with international experts and students while being inspired by South Korea’s rapidly growing space sector has been a life changing opportunity for Emma.

“I loved being lectured by astronauts and meeting inspiring mentors like Dr Jeff Hoffman and Dr Yi So-yeon. Learning medical skills astronauts must master, like injections and suturing, was a personal highlight.”

*Emma at the International Space University in South Korea*

Beyond the mission

Today Emma balances aerospace work with a part-time role as a microbiologist in containment—a nod to her biology roots. She’s also a passionate advocate for women and girls in STEM having overcome many barriers herself, and is committed to widening access and dismantling broad gender stereotypes.

“Women have always belonged in STEM, and we will continue to belong.”

Believing it’s never too late to pursue your dreams, Emma is keen to support everyone who wants a career in STEM, urging people to “just go for it.”

“While there will always be challenges, there’s always something new to learn, discover, or improve. You’ll be at the forefront of innovation and exploration, contributing to projects that push the boundaries of what is possible. It’s a field that rewards resilience, adaptability, and curiosity, and it’s an incredible place to build a career if you want to make an impact.”

Eyes on the horizon

Although Emma isn’t yet part of an astronaut corps, she continues to train through citizen-science programmes and private sponsorship, preparing for future government or commercial spaceflight opportunities. “My path has never been linear,” she says, “but I love new challenges and having to adapt to different situations.” She sees each step of her journey as strengthening her resilience, bringing her closer to achieving her goal and contribute to the collective endeavour of future of human spaceflight.

Signing off she has one final piece of advice –