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Dr. Mae C. Jemison. NASA photo.
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Mae C. Jemison was the first African-American woman in space. Jemison is a medical doctor and surgeon, with engineering and Peace Corp officer experience. Accepted into NASA's astronaut program in 1987, she flew on the space shuttle Endeavour (STS-47, Spacelab-J) as Science Mission Specialist, blasting off on September 12, 1992, for an eight day mission. In addition to her native English, Dr. Jemison speaks fluent Russian, Japanese, and Swahili. She founded the International Science Camp in Chicago in 1994, a program designed to interest children in science and space.
Scene from the original "Star Trek"
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Captain Kirk and Lt. Uhura
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Captain Kirk: Lieutenant Uhura, open a channel to all decks.
Lt. Uhura: Channel open, sir.
Mae C. Jemison talks to HypaSpace
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Dr. Mae C. Jemison: When I grew up, um, I looked, and the television program... here was this wonderful crew, that was composed of people from all over the world...
Jemison: ... Different kinds of genders and ethnicity; and so it affirmed what I always believed in, that I was going to go into space. So, it was absolutely wonderful.
Jemison aboard space shuttle Endeavour
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NASA ground control: We see, uh, Mae at the workbench.
Jemison (aboard Endeavour): Okay, copy.
LeVar Burton, TNG "Second Chances" director
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LeVar Burton: When I directed my first episode of "Trek," bringing Mae, you know, in to... you know, to complete that circle in her life, was, uh -- it was just like we had to do it!
Mae C. Jemison as Lt. Parker
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Scene from TNG "Second Chances"
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Lieutenant Parker: Phase distortion is dropping. The next transport window opens in 42 seconds.
Commander Riker: How long will we have, lieutenant?
Lt. Parker: Thirty-six minutes, sir.
Mae C. Jemison: LeVar Burton found out, from a friend, that I was a big "Star Trek" fan, and asked me if I'd be interested in being on the show, and I said, "Yeah!!"
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