In an announcement detailing upcoming crew members for the ISS (International Space Station), NASA announced Andrew Feustel and Jeanette Epps will serve on the mission to board the ISS in 2018. Feustel was selected to serve as Flight Engineer on the as-yet to be outlined Expedition 55 before later carrying on to be the Commander of Expedition 56. Jeanette Epps has been selected to serve as Flight Engineer on Expedition 56 alongside Feustel and will become the first African-American crew member of a NASA mission when she travels to the ISS in May of 2018.

In 1992, Epps graduated Lemoyne College with a bachelor of science in physics and carried on with her education with a master of science and a doctorate of Philosophy in Aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland. After college, Epps was hired to work at Ford Motor Company where she created two patents. After Ford, Epps carried on with her skills to work for the CIA where she stayed for seven years as a Technical Intelligence Officer.

Jeanette Epps began her astronaut training in 2009. She was 1 of 14 prospective astronauts selected for the 20th NASA Astronaut Class. In her training at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, she acquired skills such as robotics, spacewalking, geology, outdoor leadership skills, and knowledge of how to operate a T-38 jet.

“Each space station crew brings something different to the table, and Drew and Jeanette both have a lot to offer,” said Chris Cassidy, chief of the Astronaut Office at the Johnson Space Center. “The space station will benefit from having them on board.”

“I feel really proud of her for overcoming the odds, and she’s been training for upwards of seven years. I feel that she is the most deserving of the upcoming role,” said Kafui Sakyi-Addo, a student at Bob Jones.