Star Traveler
Science & EnvironmentKate Rubins has always been starstruck by the night sky. Growing up, she attended star-gazing parties and plastered her room with images of faraway galaxies. In May 2016, Rubins’ long-held aspiration to travel to space will become a reality when she voyages to the International Space Station as part of Expedition 48/49. A biochemist and 1999 graduate of the University of California, San Diego, Rubins will help conduct more than 100 microgravity experiments to gain insight into how the mechanics of life happen outside of our planet.