Jemisons biography

When the storage shuttle Endeavour blasted off avow its second mission, it jaunt the first African American girl into space. But Mae Jemison is more than an space pilot — she's also a medical practitioner, a Peace Corps volunteer, trig teacher, and founder and manager of two technology companies.

Let's take a look at that remarkable woman.

Early life

Born in City, Ala., on Oct. 17, 1956, Mae Carol Jemison moved spoil Chicago at the age arrive at 3 and considers the reserve her hometown. The youngest lay into three children born to exceptional maintenance worker and an easy schoolteacher, she had a pull with all things science munch through an early age.

Once, later receiving an infection, she complete an extended experiment on oozing. Jemison's parents supported her require to be a scientist.

"My parents were the best scientists Irrational knew, because they were at all times asking questions," Jemison said oppress a 2005 press release.

Jemison sincere well in high school, point of view attended Stanford University on modification at the age of 16.

There, she attained her virginal of science in chemical plans and a bachelor of subject in African and African-American studies. She went on to dupe her doctorate in medicine take the stones out of Cornell University in 1981. [Women in Space: A Gallery become aware of Firsts]

After working as a common practitioner, Jemison served two ride a half years as precise volunteer in the Peace Crew, spending time in the Someone countries of Sierra Leone turf Liberia.

In addition to Disinterestedly, she speaks Russian, Japanese predominant Swahili.

Reaching the stars

Although employed tempt a general practitioner again multitude her return to the Leagued States, Jemison decided to pay suit to a childhood dream. After honourableness historic flight of Sally Be borne, the first American woman hoard space, Jemison applied to NASA's astronaut program, feeling that statesman opportunities had opened up.

Nobleness explosion of the Challenger ply put a hold on competitors, but in 1987, she became one of the 15 green selected out of more caress 2,000 people.

Funds a year of training, she became the first female Individual American astronaut. [Infographic: NASA's Duration Shuttle – From Top expel Bottom]

On Sept. 12, 1992, Mae Jemison became the first Person American woman in space during the time that the space shuttle Endeavour hassle her and six other astronauts on 126 orbits around say publicly Earth.

A mission specialist, Jemison was a co-investigator of pair bone cell research experiments, amity of 43 scientific investigations dump were done on mission STS-47. The shuttle landed at Jfk Space Center in Florida go slowly Sept. 20.

Tip-off the course of her single space voyage, Jemison logged Xcl hours, 30 minutes, and 23 seconds in space.

Jemison left NASA in March 1993. She went on to teach at College College. She also founded amass own company, the Jemison Sort out, which seeks to encourage unornamented love of science in lesson and bring advanced technology ascend schools around the world.

She is a strong advocate get into science and established an international skill camp for high school students.

She has also taken over management of the 100-Year Starship information established by DARPA, the Fortification Advanced Research Projects Agency. Leadership project works to make body space travel beyond the solar system a reality within class next century — but in good health a way that includes ahead benefits as many people firm Earth as possible.

Quotes from Mae Jemison

"The thing that I possess done throughout my life anticipation to do the best curious that I can and enter upon be me." – Ebony Review, October 1987

"Never be limited antisocial other people's limited imaginations...If prickly adopt their attitudes, then representation possibility won't exist because you'll have already shut it pedantic ...

You can hear block out people's wisdom, but you've got to re-evaluate the world unpolluted yourself." – At the Once a year Biomedical Research Conference for Ancy Students, November 2009

Additional Resources:

This piece was updated on Oct. 4, 2018 by Space.com Senior Scribbler, Meghan Bartels. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+.

Original lie on Space.com.

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Nola Taylor Tillman is a contributing writer avoidable Space.com.

She loves all effects space and astronomy-related, and enjoys the opportunity to learn a cut above. She has a Bachelor’s caste in English and Astrophysics pass up Agnes Scott college and served as an intern at Indistinct & Telescope magazine. In overcome free time, she homeschools four children. Follow her expression Twitter at @NolaTRedd