Opinion: I’m the first Mexican-born woman to travel to space

As a child, I was always fascinated by outer space. I was 7 years old when I began saying I would one day become an astronaut. In high school, I decided to combine my love for space with my love for electricity and landed on electrical engineering as my major. Life, however, isn’t always so simple. When my parents divorced, I found myself at a crossroads. Either I go off to college, take out student loans, work multiple jobs, and figure it out on my own, or, I stay home, decline my acceptances, and help my mom and family get back on their feet.

My mom became a single mother for the first time and I became a partial breadwinner alongside her. My mom, who had my older sister at 17, had no work experience and we relied on my sole McDonald’s salary. I knew that I needed to work to help put food on the table, but I also knew I could not forgo an education. Without that education, we’d stay in this state, forever. I continued working and sought out the most affordable education I could find.

San Diego City College had not been on my radar before. Looking back now, it was one of the greatest decisions of my life. When I joined the MESA program and was met with nothing but encouragement, support, camaraderie and friendship, I knew I had found something special. Discovering the learning culture was fundamental for me. I realized that there is always room to grow and improve, especially when it comes to education. At City College, I learned to fail, I learned to dare, I learned to thrive, and most importantly, I learned I could believe in myself. I transferred to UCLA from San Diego City College where I earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. I then furthered my education by transitioning to a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Beginning my career at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, I was able to make significant contributions to several landmark missions, including the Perseverance rover, designed to explore the Jezero crater on Mars, and the Europa Clipper project, Earth’s first mission to conduct a detailed science investigation of Jupiter’s moon Europa.

While at NASA, I decided to apply for my first mission to space. After being selected out of 7,000 applicants from over 120 countries, I was honored to become Space for Humanity’s first citizen astronaut for Blue Origin’s NS-21 flight in 2022, which allowed me to study the “overview effect” — a shift in mindset that helps us see how everything is connected and makes us more aware of our impact on the environment, making me the first Mexican-born woman to travel to space.

Beyond the technical achievements, I decided to become an advocate for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and inclusivity. I created an organization called the “Fundación Espacial Katya Echazarreta,” which has launched significant educational initiatives, such as the first Latin American Air and Space Educational Training Camp. This camp is set to provide top-tier aerospace, robotics, and STEM education at no cost to over 100 students aged 13 to 17. The curriculum, designed to bridge educational gaps in underprivileged communities, aligns with cutting-edge space exploration initiatives and aims to inspire the next generation of space explorers and scientists.

The impact I aim to create also extends to significant legislative advocacy. Recognizing the need for a structured legal framework to support and regulate space activities, I have pushed for constitutional reforms in Mexico’s Congress. My efforts have focused on enhancing the capabilities of the Mexican space Industry by advocating for policies that support the development and sustainability of aerospace initiatives within the country. These legislative changes not only bolster Mexico’s position in the global space community but also ensure that the nation’s burgeoning space sector has a solid foundation to thrive.

Echazarreta is a citizen astronaut for Space for Humanity and lives in San Diego.

Originally Published: July 15, 2024 at 5:40 p.m.