- Feb 9, 2001
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Well, if that makes sense, then why didn't they select the surgeon in the first place? They think of the benefits of a flight surgeon as an after thought? Hmmm...So what was NASA thinking and how do they strategically plan for their flights? Are they using race as a qualifier or is heavier weight placed on essential skillsets? I want to believe the latter is true, not simply throwing someone in a cockpit just because of their race. Epps went through a full set of training in preparation for the flight, so when did it occur to NASA that they needed an astronaut on board who had medical training? And, if they thought to replace an engineer...why her? Just say'n...https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...brother-blames-racism/?utm_term=.f008d4b17050
Alongside Epps, Auñón-Chancellor was one of 14 astronaut candidates selected out of some 3,500 applicants for NASA's 20th astronaut class in 2009. She has a medical degree and previously served as a surgeon and managed medical operations for a range of NASA missions.
I can see where long term stay, a surgeon or Medical trained person would be rather more useful than another aerospace engineer,