Jan 11, 2012

Former Astronaut Mae Jemison To Lead Space Project


The astronaut who became the first black woman in space in 1992 has been chosen to skipper the '100 Year Starship' project. Dr. Mae Jemison is a medical doctor and a surgeon, with engineering experience. Dr. Jemison will lead the project to explore what it would take for a multi-generational mission beyond the solar system.

Dr. Jemison, 55, from Alabama, played a key role in setting up the 100 Year Starship symposium organized last year by NASA and the Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in Florida.

That led to the award by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of a $500,000 contract to study what is neded for long term projects such as interstellar space missions, msnbc reports.

'Together we’ll be working towards an organization that will last 100 years and produce a viable interstellar technology, with benefits for all humankind.'

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