SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Astronaut Jeanette Epps, a Syracuse native, will no longer travel to space later this year, according to a news release from NASA.
Epps, a Corcoran High School and Le Moyne College graduate, was set to become the first African American crew member on the International Space Station. NASA announced Thursday that Epps was removed from the flight crew set to go to space in June.
"Serena Aunon-Chancellor, who previously was assigned to Expedition 58/59, has been reassigned to the Expedition 56/57 crew, launching in June," NASA announced. "She is taking the place of astronaut Jeanette Epps, who will return to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to assume duties in the Astronaut Office and be considered for assignment to future missions."
Epps was part of NASA 20th astronaut class, announced in 2009. She was one of nine selected out of 3,500 applicants. Epps had been assigned to serve as flight engineer for Expedition 56 and remain on board for Expedition 57, according to NASA.
The flight crew plans to spend at least six months at the International Space Station.
The reason for Epps' removal was not stated.
Brandi Dean, a NASA spokesperson told collectSPACE that a number of factors were considered.
"These decisions are personnel matters for which NASA doesn't provide information," Dean told collectSPACE.
Epps was born in Syracuse and attended Clary Middle School after Danforth. She graduated from Corcoran in 1988 and went on to 11 1/2 more years of schooling, beginning at Le Moyne College. She graduated with a degree in physics in 1992. She eventually earned her doctorate in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland.