Space X's Dragon capsule docked with the International Space Station on Wednesday, April 27, bringing a new team of astronauts on board.
Among the four members of this mission called “Crew-4”: Jessica Watkins.
At 33, this geology enthusiast made space history by becoming the very first black woman to enter the International Space Station and the fifth to ever go into space.
Selected in 2017 from 18,000 candidates, the American joined NASA's "turtles" promotion.
Composed of six women and seven men, this group is unique in its diversity.
“It was important for me to have mentors and people who could inspire me, who were like me.
So in a way, I hope I could bring that too, or that young non-white girls can project themselves into a career like this and feel empowered, able to live their passion the same way that I I did it, ”confided Jessica Watkins in an interview at the end of her training in 2020.
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Accompanied by the Americans Kjell Lindgren and Bob Hines as well as the Italian Samantha Cristoforetti from the European Space Agency, Jessica Watkins will spend six months aboard the International Space Station.
During their mission, they will perform just over 200 scientific experiments.
Jessica Watkins is also one of the astronauts selected for the Artemis program which aims to bring Man, and in particular the first woman and the first person of color, back to the Moon in 2025.
