Jessica Watkins made history on Wednesday by becoming the first Black woman launched into space for an extended mission on the International Space Station.
Watkins, 33, and three other astronauts rocketed into space from the Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island, Florida, at 3:52 a.m. EDT.
“I think it really is just a tribute to the legacy of the Black women astronauts that have come before me, as well as to the exciting future ahead,” Watkins said during an NPR interview.