On June 4, 2022, Katya (Kat) Echazarreta became the first Mexican-born woman in space. By that time, Kat had already worked as an electrical engineer on five other NASA missions, including Perseverance and the Europa Clipper. But her real mission is here on Earth.
Since leaving NASA, Kat has committed herself to being a resource and a mentor for girls and women in STEM. She hopes that by being honest about her experiences in the field – including the bad experiences, like discrimination – she can create a more accessible path forward for others. Kat lectures and hosts her own TV segment, Electric Kat, on the CBS Children’s show Mission Impossible. She also consults with Space for Humanity, the organization that sent her to space.
