Sokaogon Chippewa Community News

First Native American Woman in Space Back on Earth

Photo by NASA

By Native News Online Staff

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying Nicole Aunapu Mann, the first Native American woman in space, and fellow space explorers from the U.S., Japan and Russia splashed down at approximately 9:02 p.m. EST Saturday night in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Tampa, Florida.

The safe return to earth came after a nearly 19-hour flight from the International Space Station with fellow NASA astronaut Josh Cassada, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina.

“That was one heck of a ride,” Mann said via radio moments after splashdown. “We’re happy to be home. Looking forward to next time.”

Read the full story here.