// SPACE.COM — SPAZIO & SCIENZA
NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins is the 1st Black woman to command a space mission. Will we see more diversity in the future on the final frontier?
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When Jessica Watkins became commander of her mission to the International Space Station, she didn't just fulfill her duty as an astronaut — she made history.
Watkins is commanding SpaceX's Crew-13 mission, which launched her and three other astronauts to the International Space Station on Oct. 1. As their Crew Dragon capsule lifted off atop a Falcon 9 rocket that day, Watkins became the first Black woman to command a crewed mission to space. Spaceflight and space science are historically white and male-dominated fields, so this milestone carries incredible significance.
"This is certainly an important milestone, I think both for our agency and for the country," Watkins said in a press briefing ahead of Crew-13's launch.
This is Watkins' second spaceflight. She previously flew on SpaceX's Crew-4 mission in 2022 and has spent more than 200 days in space to date, though that number will keep climbing for a while, as Crew-13 is set to be an approximately six-month mission. A geologist, astronaut, aquanaut and former professional rugby player, Watkins brings an incredible variety of skills to her new role as mission commander. And, in addition to what she's bringing to her colleagues on mission, she's also providing some serious inspiration for those back on Earth.
"Jessica is an inspirational symbol to a lot of people," commercial astronaut and fellow geologist Sian Proctor, who became the first Black woman to pilot a spacecraft on SpaceX's private Inspiration4 mission to orbit in September 2021, told Space.com. Sian shared that the two even crossed paths years ago, when their astronaut training aligned.
"It just means so much to so many people when you see a diverse crew, and particularly women, and women of color, in leadership positions," Proctor said. "And it means something for America."
The visibility of Watkins' accomplishments and missions carries significant cultural weight. However, in addition to recognizing her many achievements, "you also should celebrate the fact that she's African American and a role model for her community," Proctor said.
Proctor, who similarly made spaceflight history with her mission, sees Watkins' role in Crew-13 as potentially more than just an exciting moment. Hopefully, she said, it will help lay the foundation for a more diverse future in human spaceflight.
"When they announced Jessica, I was super excited because it shows progress," Proctor said, sharing that she finds incredible importance in the "idea of looking at your crew and recognizing the fact that diversity makes the crew stronger."