Alba Carolina Vázquez

Alba Carolina Vázquez, a native of Santiago, Dominican Republic, is an aspiring astronaut who has made history as the first Dominican to participate in an analog astronaut mission. With a diverse background in criminology, administration, and acting, she discovered her passion for astronomy through the Santiago Astronomical Club. Her journey into the aerospace field began after winning a global competition, the NASA Space Apps Challenge, where her team developed a satellite information system for farmers. Vázquez has since participated in a simulated Mars mission in Brazil, focusing on artificial circadian rhythms and space agriculture. Currently, she ranks 16th among 35,000 candidates vying for a seat on a Blue Origin suborbital flight, which would make her the first Dominican in space. Through her initiative, AstroQuisqueya, she aims to promote scientific education and inspire Dominican youth to dream of becoming astronauts.