In 1961, Wally Funk was among the Mercury
13, the first group of American pilots to pass the Woman in Space program.
Wally sailed through a series of rigorous physical and mental tests, with one
of her scores beating all the male Mercury 7 astronauts', including John
Glenn's, the first American in orbit. But just one week before the final phase
of training, the program was abruptly cancelled. A combination of politics and
prejudice meant that none of the women ever flew into space. Undeterred, Wally
went on to become America's first female aviation safety inspector, though her
dream of being an astronaut never dimmed. Wally has finished her latest book
and will share the details with us.
Don't let her snow white hair fool
you. She is energetic, passionate about aviation, space and the future of
women in aviation.
Wally is living history.
