First Indigenous woman to visit space visits Arizona [Video]

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Col. Nicole Mann. who’s gone to space, took time to talk to people in Arizona on Tuesday. 

Mann, the first Indigenous woman to visit space, was at Estrella Mountain Community College as part of the college’s Women’s History Month and focus on STEM. Mann is registered with the Wailacki of the Round Valley Indian Tribes and spoke about her journey from California to outer space.

The first Native American in space, in 2002, was now retired astronaut John Herrington of the Chickasaw Nation. Mann went into space 20 years after Herrington, on Oct. 5, 2022. She was in space from October to March of 2023. 

But Mann didn’t get her start in space travel. She is a Marine colonel and test pilot; she flew combat in Iraq for the Marines. While fascinated with stars …