Geoffrey Keith Charles Pardoe attended and gained a BScEng from Loughborough of College of Technology and later gained a PhD in Astronautics from Loughborough University in 1984.

From 1949-1951 he was Senior Aerodynamicist at Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft, then part of Hawker Siddeley. He worked on rocket design and the Sea Slug (missile) (Britain's first guided missile). From 1951-19566 he was Chief Aerodynamicist at the Guided Weapons division of de Havilland Propellers, working on the De Havilland Firestreak. He worked on aerodynamics and flight analysis.

De Havilland was given the Blue Streak ballistic missile project, and he was the Chief Co-Ordinator from 1956 until its cancellation in 1960. De Havilland merged with Hawker Siddeley in 1960, and he was the Chief Engineer of Hawker Siddeley Dynamics Weapons and Space Research division from 1960-1963. From 1963-1969 he was Chief Project Engineer of the company's Space Division. He was Managing Director from 1985-7 and Deputy Chairman from 1987-93 of Surrey Satellite Technology.

During the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon in 1969, he was part of the television commentary team with Reg Turnill. He was chosen for this role as he was a good communicator.

In 1986 he became Chairman of the Watt Committee on Energy. From 1984-1985 he was President of the Royal Aeronautical Society. He was made OBE in 1988, a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1968, and of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1988. From 1993 until his death in 1996 he was Director of the International Academy of Science.