The first person to set foot on Mars is likely to be a woman, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has said.
While Mr. Bridenstine did not identify a specific person, he said that women are at the forefront of the U.S. space agency’s upcoming plans.
Asked if a woman will go to the Moon for the first time, Mr. Bridenstine said, “The answer is absolutely. In fact, it is likely to be a woman, the first next person on the Moon.”
“It is also true that the first person on Mars is likely to be a woman,” he said during an interview on the science and technology radio talk show “Science Friday.”
NASA recently announced that it will have its first all-female spacewalk at the end of the month, when astronauts Anne McClain and Christina Koch will get to float around in space.
“We have the first all-female spacewalk at the end of March, which is of course, National Women’s Month. So NASA is committed to making sure that we have a diverse set of talent. And we are looking forward to the first woman on the Moon,” he said.
