Wally Funk, last of Mercury 13 and oldest woman in space, dies at 87
Summary
Wally Funk, a pioneering female aviator and member of the Mercury 13 astronaut group, died at age 87. In 2021, she became the oldest woman to fly into space during a Blue Origin suborbital flight at age 82, fulfilling a long-held dream.Key Facts
- Wally Funk was born in 1939 and grew up interested in aviation.
- She was part of the Mercury 13, a group of women who went through astronaut testing in the 1960s but never flew in NASA missions.
- NASA required astronauts to have military jet pilot experience, which at the time women were not allowed to have.
- Funk became the first female flight instructor at a U.S. military base and the first female FAA flight inspector.
- In 1974, she became the first female air safety investigator at the National Transportation Safety Board.
- On July 20, 2021, Funk flew on Blue Origin’s New Shepard capsule, becoming the oldest woman in space at 82.
- Her flight lasted about 10 minutes and she was awarded commercial astronaut wings by the Federal Aviation Administration.
- She inspired many by breaking barriers in aviation and space exploration over her long career.
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