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LEGENDRetiredNASA
LEGENDRetiredNASANASA·🇺🇸 United States·Born 1956
Mae Jemison
First African-American woman in space (1992)
190h
Hours in Space
1
Missions
0
EVAs
—
EVA Time
Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations.
The best way to make dreams come true is to wake up.
Don't let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity.
Inspirations
Nichelle NicholsMartin Luther King Jr.
What they aspire to
She aspires to make interstellar travel a reality within the next 100 years through the 100 Year Starship initiative.
Biography
First African-American woman in space. Physician, engineer, and Peace Corps volunteer who flew aboard Endeavour.
Before NASAMedical doctor and Peace Corps medical officer in Sierra Leone and Liberia before being selected by NASA in 1987.
Records & Firsts
Notable accomplishments by Mae Jemison
- First African-American woman in space (1992)
- First woman of color to travel in space
Mission Timeline
- Mission Specialist
Space Shuttle Endeavour
STS-47 (Spacelab-J)
Launch: Sep 12, 1992Landing: Sep 20, 1992Duration: 8 days- Conducted bone cell research; cooperative US-Japan mission
Beyond the Mission
Hobbies & Interests
dancechoreographyAfrican art collectingreading
Causes They Champion
100 Year StarshipSTEM education for girls and minoritiesThe Earth We Share science camp
Languages
EnglishRussianJapaneseSwahili
Awards & Honors
- NASA Space Flight Medal
- National Women's Hall of Fame
- International Space Hall of Fame
Authored
- Find Where the Wind Goes: Moments from My Life(2001)· Scholastic
Fun fact
She appeared on Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1993, becoming the first real astronaut to act on Star Trek after being inspired by Nichelle Nichols' Lt. Uhura.
Item flown to space
A poster from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and an Organization of African Unity flag.
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