Blue Origin Has Launched The First Mexican Woman To Enter Space

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin took off for its fifth flight to the edge of space, and among this crew was the first Mexican-born woman to make it into outer space.

Katya Echazarreta is a 26-year-old electrical and hardware engineer, and was chosen by nonprofit Space for Humanity to be part of the expedition. The goal of this organization is to send those who stand out in their fields up into space.

As space tourism continues to grow, more flights have been extended to the general public for a ride to the boundary between Earth and space. The rocket that took this group of six people launched from Blue Origin’s facilities in Texas and brought the passengers up 62 miles to the edge of the Earth, which is considered space. The spaceship stops at its desired height for a few seconds, letting passengers experience true zero gravity before it is parachuted down to its landing zone. 

Echazaretta is the first Mexican woman and second Mexican person after NASA scientist Rodolfo Neri Vela, to make it to space. She moved to the United States with her family at the age of seven, and became the breadwinner of the family by 17, when she took up a job at McDonald’s.

Now, her life has taken a supersonic shift as she was chosen as a leader in her field to experience what space has to offer.  

Echazaretta is doing her masters and has worked for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. She also has her own YouTube Channel and presents a segment on the CBS show Mission Unstoppable.

[via CNN and NBC News, cover image via Blue Origin]