Astronaut Watkins becomes first Black woman to command a space mission — Space.com

NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins led the SpaceX Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station and became the first Black woman to command a crewed space mission. A Crew Dragon carrying Watkins and three other astronauts launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket on October 1, 2026. Space.com reports.

Before the launch, Watkins called the event an important milestone for both NASA and the country. Crew-13 is her second space mission: in 2022, she flew to the ISS as part of Crew-4. Before the new flight, the astronaut had spent more than 200 days in space, and the Crew-13 mission is expected to last about six months.

The mission commander’s experience

Watkins is a geologist by profession; she also has experience as an aquanaut and previously played rugby professionally. NASA explained that she was appointed commander of Crew-13 because of her spaceflight experience, leadership qualities, and ability to help the crew accomplish the mission’s objectives.

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Commercial astronaut and geologist Sian Proctor, who in 2021 became the first Black woman to pilot a spacecraft during the private Inspiration4 mission, said that Watkins’ achievement matters to many people. According to her, the presence of women and Black women in leadership roles in space crews is important, and diversity makes a crew stronger.

Representation in spaceflight

According to Space.com, women make up about 45% of NASA’s current astronaut corps, while members of racial and ethnic minorities account for about 25%. At the same time, only six Black women, including Watkins, have been to space.

Proctor believes that the development of commercial spaceflight has broadened access to space for people with diverse backgrounds. She also expressed confidence that future Artemis program crews for missions to the Moon will be diverse.