Gail Iles

Gail Iles

Senior Lecturer in Physics, RMIT University

Dr Gail Iles is a Senior Lecturer in Physics at RMIT University, and Founder and Program Coordinator of the new BSc Space Science. After gaining a PhD in experimental physics from Leicester University in England, Gail began her scientific career with the European Space Agency in France where she researched the properties of materials on board the ‘vomit comet’ - a position which saw her complete over 500 parabolas in the A300 “Zero-G” Airbus. From there she became an astronaut instructor at the European Astronaut Centre training ISS Expedition crew members how to operate equipment in the Columbus laboratory. In 2014 Gail moved to Australia to work at the Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation, transferring to RMIT in 2017. Her current research interests include microgravity experiments, neutron and x-ray characterisation and instrument design. Gail is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics and the Science Correspondent on the 3AW Neil Mitchell radio show.

Latest articles by Gail Iles

Steve Gale (pilot) and Gail Iles (right) next to the Marchetti jet.

Australia just flew its own 'vomit comet.' It's a big deal for zero-gravity space research

By Gail Iles published

As Australia's space program begins to take off, parabolic flights like these will be in high demand.

Comets
asteroid

Could we really deflect an asteroid heading for Earth? An expert explains NASA's DART mission

By Gail Iles published

A NASA spacecraft the size of a golf cart has been directed to smash into an asteroid, with the intention of knocking it slightly off course.

Asteroid & Comet Missions
An image captured by the Ingenuity Mars helicopter shows the vehicle's shadow on the surface of the Red Planet.

So a helicopter flew on Mars for the first time. A space physicist explains why that's such a big deal

By Gail Iles published

It marks a milestone in the story of human space exploration.

Mars