FAMU grad Lakiesha Hawkins helped steer NASA’s Artemis II into history

When the powerful engines of NASA’s Space Launch System ignited on April 1, 2026, propelling the Artemis II crew toward the Moon, Lakiesha Hawkins stood watching from the Kennedy Space Center—a moment of pride, pressure, and purpose. As the Acting Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD), one of the most influential roles in American spaceflight, the FAMU alumna was not just witnessing history; she was helping to write it.

Hawkins played a pivotal role in shaping the Artemis campaign, which returned humans to the to the Moon for the first time in 53years and laid the groundwork for future missions to Mars.

“I am doing everything I can to be present in this moment to support this four-person crew on this historic mission,” Hawkins told CBS News in an interview from Kennedy Space Center shortly before launch. “They are embarking on a 10-day mission that will take us to the vicinity of the Moon, further than we’ve ever been before, and open the door for our next Artemis missions and the establishment of a Moon base.”

Hawkins' trajectory started at FAMU

Her journey from a mechanical engineering student at FAMU to the upper echelons of NASA embodies the mission of historically Black colleges and universities to cultivate leaders who shape the nation’s future.

For Hawkins, who lives in Huntsville, AL, the Artemis mission is also a testament to the power of education and perseverance. “Artemis isn’t just about going back to the Moon,” she said. “It’s about who we bring with us. It’s about ensuring that the future of exploration is inclusive, bold, and boundless.”

A 1997 grad, and distinguished alumna of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, she has long been an advocate for expanding opportunities in STEM, particularly for women and people of color.

Colleagues describe Hawkins as a decisive and visionary manager whose technical expertise is 

matched by her ability to inspire teams.

“Lakiesha doesn’t just see the rocket—she sees the people building it, the astronauts flying it, and the generations it will inspire,” said Carla Roberts, a systems engineer at NASA who has worked with Ms. Hawkins for more than a decade. “She carries FAMU with her everywhere she goes—that standard of excellence, that belief that representation isn’t optional; it’s essential.”

Breaking barriers
Artemis II did more than set a distance record—it broke barriers. The Artemis II crew—Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—traveled approximately 250,000 miles from Earth, surpassing the distance record set by Apollo 13 in 1970. In doing so, the mission also achieved several historic firsts: Koch became the first woman to travel beyond low-Earth orbit, Glover the first Black astronaut to do so, and Hansen the first Canadian on a lunar flight.

The success of Artemis II sets the stage for Artemis III, planned for 2028, which will land astronauts near the lunar South Pole—a region rich in water ice and scientific potential. From there, NASA aims to establish a sustainable lunar presence, serving as a proving ground for technologies needed for eventual human missions to Mars.

As NASA and its international partners analyze data from Artemis II and prepare for the next phase of lunar exploration, Hawkins and her team remains focused on the roadmap ahead: one that stretches from the Moon to Mars and beyond, driven by vision, collaboration, and a renewed belief in what humanity can achieve.

“As I reflect on the mission’s significance, I am confident that we are on the verge of where history is going to take us to next,” she said, her voice steady with conviction. “We are not only laying the groundwork for further space exploration but also for inspiring a new generation of engineers, scientists, and leaders."