IdeaFestival guest and actress Nichelle Nichols is best known for her role on Star Trek, but she serves as an icon for the civil rights movement as well. In addition to her acting and other notable achievements, she was also recruited by NASA to help recruit their first female and minority astronauts. She was interviewed by Janelle Monae and had some interesting stories to tell.

Monae asked Nichols what fascinates her about space, and she answered, "Because it's there...the vastness. We are by nature, explorers."