Jessica Watkins Becomes 1st Black Woman To Serve On NASA International Space Station
Congratulations to NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins. She is the 5th Black woman to go to space and the first Black woman to serve aboard the International Space Station.
Watkins will serve as the mission specialist for journey into outer space which will take place on Wednesday, April 27th. (The trip was originally scheduled for Saturday, April 22nd.) She will live and work aboard the space station for about six months, conducting spacewalks and working on scientific research in the space station’s microgravity environment.
When asked about her accomplishment, Watkins said, “We have reached this milestone, this point in time, and the reason we’re able to arrive at this time is because of the legacy of those who have come before to allow for this moment. Also, recognizing this is a step in the direction of a very exciting future. So to be a part of that is certainly an honor.” She went on to say, “Growing up and throughout my career, it’s been really important for me to see people who look like me or have my background or similar experiences in the roles that I aspire to or contributing in ways that I aspire to contribute. To the extent that I am able to do that for other young girls or young people of color, I’m grateful for the opportunity to return the favor.”
You can watch Jessica Watkin’s trip live from the Kennedy Space Center on www.nasa.com on Wednesday, April 27th.
