Mae Jemison Went From Endeavour to the Enterprise, Thanks to LeVar Burton

Photo: NASA, public domain (STS-47, 1992)

The Lowdown

Most celebrity cameos are stunts. This one ran the other way: a working astronaut who grew up on Star Trek got to stand on the bridge, and the actor who invited her was making his directing debut.

Key Takeaways

Dr. Mae Jemison flew on Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-47) in September 1992, the first African-American woman in space.
She appeared as transporter officer Palmer in TNG's "Second Chances" (Season 6), filmed the week of May 24, 1993.
LeVar Burton directed the episode, his first, and invited her after learning she was a fan.

The Connection

NASA's mission record for STS-47 shows Endeavour launching on September 12, 1992, with Mae Jemison aboard as the first African-American woman to fly in space. The National Archives notes she started her shifts in orbit with "Hailing frequencies open," Lieutenant Uhura's line from the original series.

The next spring she was on a different bridge. StarTrek.com's interview with Jemison dates her appearance in "Second Chances" to the week of May 24, 1993. She plays Palmer, a transporter officer, in the episode where Riker meets a duplicate of himself, Lieutenant Thomas Riker.

The link was LeVar Burton. StarTrek.com's guest-star roundup says Burton learned Jemison loved the show and invited her on. "Second Chances" was the first episode he ever directed. The National Archives also records her as the first real astronaut to appear on Star Trek.

Sources give Palmer slightly different ranks, so we just call her transporter officer Palmer.

Who’s Who

Mae Jemison — Palmer, transporter officer; NASA astronaut (STS-47)
LeVar Burton — Director of "Second Chances"; Geordi La Forge
Jonathan Frakes — William Riker and Thomas Riker
Nichelle Nichols — Uhura, whose "Hailing frequencies open" Jemison used in orbit

Where It Happened

Star Trek: The Next Generation — Season 6, Episode 24, "Second Chances" (1993), directed by LeVar Burton
STS-47 (Space Shuttle Endeavour) — September 12-20, 1992

Evidence & Sources

STS-47 launched September 12, 1992; Jemison was the first African-American woman to fly in space. (NASA, “STS-47” ↗)
Jemison appeared as Palmer in "Second Chances" the week of May 24, 1993; Burton directed it, his first. (StarTrek.com, “Catching Up With Dr. Mae Jemison” ↗)
Burton learned Jemison loved the show and invited her. (StarTrek.com, “10 of the Best TNG Guest Stars” ↗)
She opened her shifts in space with "Hailing frequencies open" and was the first real astronaut on Star Trek. (National Archives (Prologue blog), “Mae Jemison: First Black Woman in Space” ↗)

Not stated as fact: