Last month, Nicole Mann journeyed to a place no Native American woman had gone before—space. She made history when she blasted off to the International Space Station (ISS).
Mann was chosen for astronaut training by NASA, the U.S. space agency, in 2013. Before that, she was a pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps.
For her historic spaceflight, Mann was the commander of the SpaceX Crew-5 mission. In that role, she ensured that the trip to the ISS went smoothly.
For the next several months, Mann and the three members of her crew will be busy on the giant space laboratory. They’ll make spacewalks and upgrade equipment. They’ll also conduct experiments that may help prepare astronauts for future missions deeper into space.
Mann is a member of the Wailacki, one of the Round Valley Indian Tribes of Northern California. Round Valley officials released a statement that celebrated Mann’s achievement.
“She has opened a door and blazed a trail for Indian girls all over America,” the statement said.