In a day that will go down in the annals of space exploration, aerospace engineer Diana Trujillo, born in Cali, Colombia, led her first spacewalk as a certified NASA flight director last Thursday, May 1. From the Mission Control Center in Houston, Trujillo was in charge of approving every procedure and leading the ground team in an operation that involved two astronauts outside the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly six hours.

The spacewalk - the 93rd in the history of the ISS - was conducted by astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, who worked on the installation of a modification kit for new iROSA solar panels, a technology that will increase the station's energy capacity by 30%.

But while the eyes of the world were on the astronauts floating more than 400 kilometers above the Earth, from the control center, Trujillo was making key decisions. As flight director, she was responsible for coordinating dozens of specialists in communications, crew health, spacesuit operation and hatch operation.

A track record that inspires

Diana Trujillo is not new to breaking barriers. She arrived in the United States at the age of 17 with barely $300 in her pocket and no knowledge of English. Her perseverance led her to become an aerospace engineer, work at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and be part of the team that developed the robotic arm of the Perseverance rover, sent to Mars in 2020.

In 2023 she became the first Latina woman to be certified as a Nasa flight director. The May 1 spacewalk marks another milestone in her career: the first time she has led such an operation.

As flight director, Trujillo oversaw every maneuver of the spacewalk, coordinating in real time with the teams on Earth and the astronauts in orbit to ensure the success of the mission. This time, she did so at the helm of a complex and symbolic mission: it was also the fifth all-female spacewalk.

A Latin American mission

Trujillo was not the only Latin American representative on this mission. Puerto Rican astronaut Marcos Berrios, who played the role of CAPCOM, in charge of reading step-by-step procedures to the astronauts during their extravehicular work, also participated actively from the Control Center.

With his leadership, Trujillo continues to pave the way for new generations of young Latinos who dream of a successful career in the United States. In her many public appearances, she has insisted on the importance of raising the visibility of women and minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The walk was broadcast live on NASA's official channels and can be relived online, including an animation narrated by Trujillo herself.

The success of this spacewalk represents not only a breakthrough in the energy infrastructure of the ISS, but also a reminder that "space" is a place where everyone fits. Diana Trujillo has already earned her own and is now an example for many.