NASA Sending First African-American Astronaut to International Space Station

NASA is known making strides forward in pioneering space- now they’re also making strides forward in diversity.

In announcing their newest International Space Station crew, they revealed that the roster included Jeanette Epps, the first African-American to be sent to the ISS. Epps will join the crew as flight engineer and will work with commander Andrew Feustel, a veteran astronaut.

“Each space station crew brings something different to the table, and Drew and Jeanette both have a lot to offer,” said Chris Cassidy, chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, according to The Grio. “The space station will benefit from having them on board.”

Epps’ impressive biography proves that she’s a brilliant mind that will undoubtedly be a major asset to the crew. She became a NASA Fellow during graduate school and was selected as 1 of 14 members of the 20th NASA astronaut class in July 2009. “Her Astronaut Candidate Training included Russian Language training, spacewalk training (EVA), robotics, T‐38 jet training, geology and National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) training” and she also holds a PhD in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland.

African-Americans have previously participated in space shuttle missions, but Epps is the first to join the space station crew.

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