NASA and Nichelle Nichols

Nichelle Nichols (“Lieutenant Uhura”) in 1977, talking to students about The Space Shuttle. Image courtesy NASA.
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About This Episode

Through her ground-breaking role as Star Trek’s Chief Communications Officer Lt. Uhura, Nichelle Nichols became a passionate advocate to get women and minorities involved in real-world space exploration. Many were inspired to become astronauts thanks to her efforts, including NASA’s current administrator, General Charles Bolden. While she continues working through various endeavors to get young people excited about space, she hopes that the power of Star Trek will inspire us to keep pushing the boundaries of the final frontier.

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