Mae Jemison once said she'd love to go into space again if there were a mission to Mars. “I'd also love to go to a completely different planetary system out of our solar system,” the former NASA astronaut added.

She is the current principal of the 100 Year Starship. The organization exists to make the capability of human travel beyond our solar system a reality within the next 100 years.

On September 12, 1992, Jemison flew into space with six other astronauts aboard the Endeavour on mission STS47, becoming the first African-American woman in space. Five years earlier, on June 4, 1987, she became the first African-American woman to be admitted into the astronaut training program.

In an interview with Makers, she explains how her interest in science was not accepted.

"Growing up...I was just like every other kid. I loved space, stars, and dinosaurs. I always knew I wanted to explore. At the time of the Apollo airing, everybody was thrilled about space, but I remember being irritated that there were no women astronauts. People tried to explain that to me, and I did not buy it."

Jemison says she was inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.

"When I think of Martin Luther King, I think of attitude, audacity, and bravery," she said.

At the age of 11, Jemison began dancing.

"I love dancing! I took all kinds of dance — African dancing, ballet, jazz, modern — even Japanese dancing. I wanted to become a professional dancer," said Jemison.

At the age of 14, she auditioned for the leading role of "Maria" in West Side Story. She did not get the part but Jemison's dancing skills did get her into the line up as a background dancer.

"I had a problem with the singing but I danced and acted pretty well enough for them to choose me. I think that people sometimes limit themselves and so rob themselves of the opportunity to realize their dreams. For me, I love the sciences and I also love the arts," says Jemison.

"I saw the theater as an outlet for this passion and so I decided to pursue this dream."

Jemison also spent a considerable amount of time in her school library reading about science, especially astronomy. Later during her senior year in college, she was trying to decide whether to go to New York to medical school or become a professional dancer. Her mother told her, "You can always dance if you're a doctor, but you can't doctor if you're a dancer."

When she graduated from Chicago's Morgan Park High School in 1973 as an honor student, she entered Stanford University on a National Achievement Scholarship at the age of 16.

"It’s not until recently that I realized that 16 was particularly young or that there were even any issues associated with my parents having enough confidence in me to [allow me to] go that far away from home."

At Stanford, she choreographed a musical and dance production called Out of the Shadows. She also served as head of the Black Students Union during her college years.

Jemison said that majoring in engineering as a black woman was difficult because race was always an issue in the United States.

"Some professors would just pretend I wasn't there. I would ask a question and a professor would act as if it was just so dumb, the dumbest question he had ever heard. Then, when a white guy would ask the same question, the professor would say, 'That's a very astute observation.'"

Jemison graduated from Stanford in 1977, receiving a B.S. in chemical engineering and fulfilling the requirements for a B.A. in African and Afro-American Studies.

In 1981, she obtained her Doctor of Medicine degree at Cornell Medical College.

During medical school Jemison traveled to Cuba, Kenya, and Thailand, to provide primary medical care to people living there. Jemison also took lessons in modern dance at the Alvin Ailey school during her years at Cornell Medical College.

After completing her medical training, Jemison joined the staff of the Peace Corps and served as a Peace Corps Medical Officer from 1983 to 1985 responsible for the health of Peace Corps Volunteers serving in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Jemison's work in the Peace Corps included supervising the pharmacy, laboratory, medical staff as well as providing medical care, writing self-care manuals, and developing and implementing guidelines for health and safety issues. Jemison also worked with the Center for Disease Control helping with research for various vaccines.

Jemison was born in Decatur, Alabama, the youngest child of Charlie Jemison, a roofer, and carpenter, and Dorothy (Green) Jemison, an elementary school teacher.

Her sister, Ada Jemison Bullock, became a child psychiatrist, and her brother, Charles Jemison, is a real estate broker. The family moved to Chicago, Illinois, when Jemison was 3 years old.

She resigned from NASA in 1993 to found a company researching the application of technology to daily life. She has appeared on television several times, including as an actress in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. She built a dance studio in her home and has choreographed and produced several shows of modern jazz and African dance. Jemison holds nine honorary doctorates in science, engineering, letters, and the humanities.