Back in May of 1991, Dr. Helen Sharman made history by becoming the very first British astronaut to go to space.
And almost 30 years later, she has no doubt that there is life out there.
Speaking to the Observer Magazine, she shared:
“Aliens exist, there’s no two ways about it. There are so many billions of stars out there in the universe that there must be all sorts of different forms of life. Will they be like you and me, made up of carbon and nitrogen? Maybe not. It’s possible they’re here right now and we simply can’t see them.”
The chemist added how it was “telling” that many refer to her as the first British woman in space when in reality — her journey to the Soviet space station was the first time any British man or woman had been to space.
She said:
“I’ve never defined myself by my gender, and I continue not to do so. People often describe me as the first British woman in space, but I was actually the first British person.”
“It’s telling that we would otherwise assume it was a man. When Tim Peake went into space, some people simply forgot about me. A man going first would be the norm, so I’m thrilled that I got to upset that order.”
Dr.Sharman hopes that her legacy will inspire others to believe in themselves and follow their dreams.