SpaceX-NASA mission to send first Native American woman to space

Nicole Aunapu Mann will become the first Native American woman to go into earth’s orbit with the launch of the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on Wednesday, according to a report from CNN. 

This will be the former US Marine Corps pilot’s first trip to space ever since she joined NASA’s astronaut corps back in 2013. The capsule will be riding atop a 230-foot-tall SpaceX rocket which is set to launch at 12) Eastern Time on Wednesday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

Mann will be joined by her crew: NASA astronaut Josh Cassada, Koichi Wakata from the Japan Aersospace Exploration Agency and Anna Kikina from the Russian space agency Roscosmos. 

Once in orbit, the crew of four will dock with the International Space Station and will begin a five-month-long stay. The ISS has been home to a long list of astronauts since it was commissioned nearly 22 years ago. 

Also Read | Elon Musk reacts to NASA’s successful DART Mission with Will Smith-Chris Rock meme

Speaking to reporters, Mann said that she would be carrying mementos along with her which include her wedding rings, a dream catcher from her mother and a gift from her family. She said that the items were a “special part” of her childhood, as well as of her community and her family. 

Also Read | SpaceX sends 52 Starlink satellites into space in 43rd mission

“I am very proud to represent Native Americans and my heritage,” Mann said. Her mission, dubbed Crew-5 will be the sixth astronaut launch by SpaceX since it partnered with NASA in 2020. 

As commander of the mission, Mann is responsible for ensuring that the rocket she and her crew are on, is on track from the time it launches to the time it docks with the ISS. She will take on that responsibility once more when it’s time for her crew to come back to terra firma next year. Mann will also become the first woman to lead a Spacex-NASA mission, though there were women commanders back during the Space Shuttle Program, which shut down in 2011.