Women Forward: Leading in Space

Sian Proctor enjoys a view of the Earth from outer space. (Photograph courtesy Sian Proctor)

When Sian Proctor, the only African American woman to ever be a mission pilot, first traveled to outer space on the SpaceX Inspiration4 orbital mission, she was given the call sign “Leo” by her crewmates. The Afrofuturism artist and astronaut reminded them of legendary Italian painter and inventor Leonardo DaVinci.

It’s a nickname Proctor thoroughly deserves. Just like DaVinci did hundreds of years ago, Proctor navigates the twin worlds of science and art with skill, curiosity and passion. She is a professor of geoscience at the Maricopa Community Colleges, creates visually stunning works of futuristic art, writes fascinating poems and authors cookbooks, and is passionate about space exploration. In 2021, Proctor piloted SpaceX’s Inspiration4, the first all-civilian orbital mission, becoming the first woman to pilot a commercial spacecraft.

The India connection

In October 2023, Proctor led a virtual session on “Women in Space,” organized by the U.S. Embassy New Delhi. She shared her experiences with the participating students—her upbringing as the daughter of a NASA contractor, years as a student of environmental science, and her training in NASA’s Astronaut Selection Program, where she was a finalist in 2009.

Earlier, in 2019, Proctor visited India to participate in a teaching program focused on sustainability. She was deeply impressed by the work done by the Indian Space Resource Organisation (ISRO). “India is a strong space nation and a beautiful country,” says Proctor. “I wanted to continue to find ways to connect.”

Exploration and inspiration

Juggling diverse roles is all in a day’s work for Proctor. “I love to lean into this idea of being a modern Renaissance person, which means you’re someone who has developed a wide variety of skills and interests,” she says. “And really, every single one of us is a Leonardo DaVinci in our own way. We all have the parts of ourselves that are creative and expressive, but we also analyze the world around us. Finding and nurturing those parts—it’s such a lovely message to share with the world.”

Sharing an anecdote from her trip to outer space, Proctor says, “When I went to space with Inspiration4, I had a duffel bag that I could pack with whatever I wanted, as long as it met flight requirements. I started thinking about my life and packed things that had personal meaning—from my old ‘Star Wars’ trading cards to artwork that inspired me. I also took meaningful items that other people gave me.”

When Proctor returned to Earth after a successful mission, the process of unpacking and returning items to their owners inspired her to share her personal motto and philosophy globally.

She calls it “Space2inspire.”

“You can use your own unique space to inspire those around you,” she explains. “The whole idea of packing and unpacking objects to take to space made me think of what I was bringing with me that was truly the most important—my individuality, grit, determination, creativity and resilience—everything I’d built into my personal toolkit.”

“When opportunity arises for anyone,” she continues, “you can take your own toolkit, your own personal Space2inspire, and have all of your preparation and skills readily accessible for yourself. It’s so important to be mindful of what you bring to new experiences, and to use it to its fullest.”

“During my presentation with the U.S. Embassy New Delhi,” she adds, “that’s the key message that I wanted to share.”

Finding your own space

For those looking to nurture their own Space2inspire and follow in Proctor’s footsteps, the astronaut grounds her advice in themes of creation and courage. “Give yourself the space to express yourself and think about your self-expression from the standpoint of creating things you can share with the world,” she says. “Whether that’s knowledge or physical objects, your style and creativity are gifts that you can give openly.”

Sharing your passion with the world could mean writing articles or stories, recording podcasts or videos, painting pictures or formulating recipes. “There are so many ways to express yourself, and the ways you do it can change over time,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to follow your passion. Don’t be afraid to do what’s right for you.”

Michael Gallant is a New York City-based writer, musician and entrepreneur.

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