T-Minus, the Only Daily Space Intelligence Podcast | N2K Space

The first Indigenous American in space.

Written by Maria Varmazis | Oct 13, 2025 6:00:00 AM

Summary

John Herrington was the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in space. He is a member of the Chickasaw Nation, a retired US Naval Aviator and Test Pilot, and a retired NASA Astronaut. Herrington was selected as a mission specialist for STS-113 and flew to the International Space Station on November 23, 2002.

You can connect with John on LinkedIn.

Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app.

Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram.