NASA Is Sending Its First Cuban-American Astronaut to Space

Bravo NASA!

The space program is sending its first Cuban-American astronaut to space. Serena Auñón-Chancellor is making the trek up to the International Space Station in November 2018. Serena is the second Hispanic woman to become a NASA astronaut (Ellen Ochoa was the first). She has been an astronaut for eight years, but she is still training to make sure she's going to be ready.

"The addition of these extra crew members will be a boon to the entire scientific community doing research on station, and especially those who have been waiting for access to the platform" said Julie Robinson, NASA's chief scientist for the International Space Station.

Serena has been with NASA since 2006 when she became a flight surgeon. She got her bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, her master's in public health, and her doctorate in medicine. We hope this is one of many for NASA!