Pioneering Astronaut visits UA Campus

Former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison addressed female students studying mathematics and engineering at the University of Alabama campus in Tuscaloosa. The Decatur native was the first African American woman to fly in space. Jemison later had a guest appearance as a crew member of the U.S.S. Enterprise on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." The veteran Space Shuttle astronaut will also be immortalized with her own LEGO figure in a collection of space pioneers. Jemison's only mission in space was STS-47, or Spacelab-J for Japan in 1992. The orbital flight included Astronauts Mark Lee and Jan Davis, the first married couple to go to space. Astronaut Mamoru Morhi of Japan was also considered the "Neil Armstrong" of his nation.

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Pat Duggins is news director for Alabama Public Radio.