Katya Echazarreta, the first Mexican-born woman ever to travel to space, wants to see the aerospace industry strengthen in her home country. That, however, means new laws must be passed by Mexico’s legislation to build the necessary framework to launch rockets in space.
“I have been visiting Congress, the Senate, [and] we are currently working for a constitutional reform, because in Mexico we do not have the necessary legislative basis for space missions from this country,” Echazarreta said, according to Mexico Now. “So, with this reform we are working to have those necessary bases to be able to work with the Mexican Space Agency, and eventually have a mission to the Moon, full of Mexicans,” she said.
Currently, Echazarreta said private companies like Space X and Blue Origin are unable to operate in Mexico without regulations. She wants to create a foundation to promote the development of the aerospace industry in Mexico, so more Mexicans will get the opportunity to travel to space like her.
“Very soon, we will be able to announce our foundation, what we want to do is support Mexican talent with the whole aerospace theme, for all young Mexicans who want to study science, who want to study engineering, even art, photography, but who want to use it for the space industry,” Echazarreta said. “With the work we are doing, they will eventually have this opportunity.”
Last summer, Echazarreta and five other passengers were launched more than 62 miles above the Earth’s surface on a Blue Origin rocket, the fifth passenger flight funded by billionaire Jeff Bezos.
“Every time I try to sleep, I keep seeing Earth,” Echazarreta said after her mission. “The curvature, the colors, the clouds … it’s changed my outlook on life.”
