June 01, 2022
Jessica Watkins, a 33-year-old astronaut, made history by becoming the first black woman to depart for a long-term mission at the International Space Station (ISS). Watkins and three other astronauts took off from the Kennedy Space Center on April 27 onboard Freedom, SpaceX’s new Crew Dragon spacecraft. Watkins and other crewmembers will remain on the ISS for six months and will carry out several science experiments and maintenance of the space station. Watkins began her career as an intern at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). She also held roles at the space agency’s Ames Research Center and at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). She was a member of the science team for NASA’s Curiosity rover. She worked with the team to plan the daily activities of the rover and investigate the geological history of Mars.
Image Source: en.wikipedia.org
