Emily Calandrelli
The 100th woman in space who still turns Swiss lakes into science lessons and her kids' vacations into itineraries worth sharing
Emily is an MIT-trained aerospace engineer who bet on herself and built a career making science irresistible to kids, as a Netflix host, a #1 NYT bestselling author, and now a YouTube creator. In 2024 she flew to space with Blue Origin, called it 'the best week of my life,' and used the flight to raise money for children in foster care in West Virginia. She is earnest, grateful and openly sentimental about dreams, and she laughs at setbacks: 'Failure is often just a plot twist.' She publicly describes herself as the 'I have a crazy idea' girl with a 'let's find a way to make it happen' partner, and family travel with her kids is a big part of her life right now.
She names her own role in a partnership as the ideas person. The complement she celebrates is someone who turns crazy plans into real logistics, not someone who talks her down.
- IG“a “I have a crazy idea” girl and her “let’s find a way to make it happen” partner”
Space isn't small talk for her. It has been her identity since college and the emotional peak of her life.
- in“I can't wait to share the best week of my life with you all.”
- in“Founder - Student Partnership for the Advancement of Cosmic Exploration (SPACE)”
She runs several ongoing roles at once across TV, YouTube and three publishers. That kind of always-on entrepreneurial life needs a supportive, unthreatened partner.
- in“Creator of Emily's Science Lab @ YouTube (Oct 2024 – Present)”
- in“Host and Co-Executive Producer of Emily's Wonder Lab @ Netflix (Aug 2020 – Present)”
She talks publicly about losing something big and reframes it with humor. She'll connect with people who can be candid about their own plot twists.
- IG“How losing my NETFLIX show changed my life. Failure is often just a plot twist.”
Representation runs through her keynotes and her content. A partner should cheer that on loudly, not tolerate it quietly.
- IG“A love letter to @astro_christina and every other girl standing out in their industry.”
- in“I had a great time meeting so many women in aviation!”
She has a large audience across platforms. Anyone close to her needs to be at ease with visibility and respect where the public persona ends.
- in“Social Media: @TheSpaceGal (4.5M+ followers)”
- Family travel planningShe builds detailed, kid-centered itineraries, like a 5-day Switzerland trip organized around Alpine playgrounds, hikes and restaurants, and happily shares the logistics.
- IG“Comment TRIP and I’ll dm you the 5-day itinerary ✈️”
- IG“the activities are centered around the kids (playgrounds) but fulfilling for adults (restaurants at each one, gorgeous hikes, etc)”
- Hiking and Alpine sceneryShe was drawn to Lauterbrunnen and Mürren for gorgeous hikes and mountain playgrounds.
- IG“gorgeous hikes”
- IG“#murren #switzerland”
- Backyard science experimentsShe does hands-on, messy experiments and has built an annual Baking Soda Rocket Day, now in its third year.
- IG“launch the 3rd annual Baking Soda Rocket Day!”
- 90s nostalgia and PokémonShe's up for goofy bits about childhood obsessions, including holographic Charizard cards.
- IG“We were nearly Pokemon Masters in the 90s 😮💨”
- Astronomy and stargazingHer love of the night sky predates the rocket. She was Astronomy Club President in college.
- in“Astronomy Club President”
- Human spaceflightShe flew on Blue Origin's New Shepard and credits the engineers and technicians behind it.
- in“thank you to the engineers, technicians and entire New Shepard team for creating this marvel of human spaceflight”
- Science communication for kidsShe writes chapter books, picture books and experiment books, and hosts kids' science shows.
- in“This is a STEM chapterbook series for kids ages 6-10.”
- IG“#homeschool #homeschoolscience”
- The science of everyday wondersEven on vacation she explains the world, like why Swiss lakes are so blue.
- IG“Why are Swiss lakes SO BLUE? 2 words: GLACIAL FLOUR”
- Women in STEM and technical fieldsShe gives keynotes for women in nuclear and aviation and celebrates women standing out in their industries.
- in“Honored to have delivered the keynote at the Women in Nuclear Conference this year!”
- IG“LETS GO GIRLS”
- Technology and policyShe has a dual MIT master's and worked on making technical challenges understandable to non-experts.
- in“define the technical challenge in a way that is accessible to audiences without specific knowledge of that particular industry”
- Holding onto big dreamsShe treats dreams as future plans and wants her story to give others hope.
- in“a reason to hold on to those stars they once thought out of reach”
- IG“Turns out it wasn’t a dream, just a future memory 🥹”
- GratitudeShe consistently thanks the people behind her milestones.
- in“Thank you to everyone at Blue Origin for giving me the world.”
- IG“Feeling so grateful.”
- Giving back to West Virginia kidsShe turned the biggest moment of her life into a fundraiser, and has mentored and served since college.
- IG“used the flight to raise money for children in foster care in WV”
- in“Boys and Girls Club Mentor”
- Kindness over metricsDespite an elite résumé, she tells kids that scores don't define them.
- IG“No single test defines you. 🫶🏻”
- Honoring rootsShe pays tribute to humble family origins.
- IG“To the little boy who came from nothing”
- Base
- United States
- Pace
- Fast and full. She runs many creative and entrepreneurial projects at once.
- Social
- Very public online, energized by meeting people in person, and centered on family.
- Travel
- Enthusiastic, organized family traveler (Switzerland with the kids), with an early immersive research stint in Xian, China.
- Health
- Enjoys hiking and outdoor Alpine activity.
- Work / life
- Work and life blend. Family trips become content and her kids' world is her professional world.
- Talks like
- Candid, warm and conversational, with bursts of ALL-CAPS excitement, emojis and light wink-wink puns ('Space...is right around the corner ;)'). She explains complex things simply and loves a good 'why does that happen?'
- Shows care by
- She turns her big moments into gifts for others, like fundraising for foster kids, sharing itineraries and mentoring girls. She shows care through encouragement ('No single test defines you'), gratitude and shared wonder.
- She reframes failure as a plot twist and talks about it openly
- She gives public credit to the teams behind her success
- She channels privilege and platform into helping kids in foster care
- She is a genuine nerd with zero pretension (Pokémon Masters in the 90s)
- She is a lifelong community builder and mentor
- Her calendar is packed with overlapping projects, so spontaneous time may be scarce
- Her very public life means much of her world is shared with a large audience
- She is the idea generator, so a partner may be carrying a lot of the execution load
- Space and science are central to who she is, so someone indifferent to wonder may feel left out
- Cynicism or mockery about big dreams
- Anyone who doesn't back women and girls in STEM
- Being threatened by an ambitious, high-profile partner
- Coldness toward kids and family
A secure, practical 'let's find a way to make it happen' teammate who lights up at her crazy ideas and handles the logistics. They're curious enough to ask great questions, playful enough to riff on 90s nostalgia, comfortable with her public life, and a real champion of her mission and family. Note: Instagram indicates she is currently in a partnership with kids; this profile reflects that public context.
- A dark-sky stargazing night or a rocket launch viewing, with her explaining what you're seeing
- A hands-on science or making workshop where things fizz, launch or get messy
- A scenic hike that ends at a great restaurant, with bonus points for a 'why is that lake that color?' moment
- What did Earth from above actually feel like, the 'moment that felt like a song'?
- How did losing the Netflix show turn into a plot twist that changed your life?
- Which Pokémon card were you proudest of in the 90s?
- What's the story behind the Student Partnership for the Advancement of Cosmic Exploration at WVU?