NASA is honoring Black History Month by celebrating the achievements of its Black workforce, who are leading the way in space exploration.
As part of the celebration, NASA has created a playlist of podcast episodes featuring Black scientists, engineers, and exploration leaders. The episodes can be accessed through the link provided.
One of the podcast episodes features NASA astronaut Victor Glover, who is currently part of the Expedition 64 mission aboard the International Space Station.
Another episode features Dr. Camille Alleyne, the deputy program manager at NASA's Johnson Space Center.
Camille Wardrop Alleyne was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, and moved to the United States at 17. She obtained her bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in Washington D.C. and Florida before beginning her career at NASA.
At NASA, Alleyne has led the lunar commercialization efforts and is responsible for ensuring the sustainability of space commercialization projects.
She has also served as an associate program scientist for the International Space Station at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Alleyne's achievements have earned her several awards, including recognition as one of the Caribbean's icons in science and technology by Trinidad and Tobago.
In 2007, she founded the Brightest Stars Foundation, which encourages girls to pursue careers in math and science by inspiring them with her own experiences.
In 2019, Alleyne visited Bishkek with the support of the U.S. Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Space Mission.
She interacted with young inventors, women in STEM, and researchers from Kyrgyzstan and shared her experiences with NASA programs. Alleyne also conducted a workshop for young people interested in careers in STEM.
She met with young inventors from the Academy Altyn Tuyun and Satellite Girls, who were building the first satellite in Kyrgyzstan.
With the support of the U.S. Embassy, Alleyne conducted virtual workshops for these girls to teach them the basics of engineering and satellite building.
Alleyne also held a press conference to share her experiences with NASA programs and the role of women in space.
In addition to celebrating its Black workforce, NASA has announced the crew for its upcoming Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station.
The Crew-9 mission will consist of Commander Zena Cardman, Pilot Nick Hague, Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson, and Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Wilson.
Before becoming an astronaut, Wilson earned her bachelor's degree in engineering science from Harvard University and a master's in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas in Austin.
She has worked at Martin Marietta and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and has served in various roles at NASA, including as the integration branch chief for NASA's Astronaut Office, focusing on International Space Station systems and payload operations.
She also served as the acting chief of NASA's Program and Project Integration Office at the agency's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland during a nine-month detail.
