Jessica Watkins

Jessica Watkins is the first female black astronaut to fly a longer space mission. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in geological and environmental sciences from Stanford. Watkins also has a doctorate in geology from the University of California, Los Angeles. During her studies at UCLA, she interned for NASA at the Ames Research Facility. Watkins worked as a science team member for NASA’s Curiosity Rover. She was also a Chief Geologist with NASA at the Mars Desert Research in Utah. Additionally, she worked as an aquanaut in the underwater habitat in Florida for NEEMO’s 23rd mission. Watkins was also one of the 12 new astronaut candidates selected out of 18,300 applicants. She spent two years in basic astronaut training and another two years preparing for her ISS mission. Watkins spent six months on the ISS. She collaborated with Russian cosmonauts and served as the team’s mission specialist. Lastly, Watkins was one of 18 astronauts selected to join the scientists who worked on NASA’s Artemis project. The Artemis team was the first group in 50 years to go to the moon.
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Category:Living people
Category:African-American scientists
Category:American geologists
Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni