Women in Space: The Story of Wally Funk
By Elizabeth Hallissey, C2ST Intern, Loyola University
This week marks the 22nd annual World Space Week. The event was created in 1999 by the United Nations as a way to celebrate, “science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition”. This year, the week-long event celebrates the achievements of women in space. In honor of this year’s theme, I will be telling the story of one woman who was not granted the same fame, notoriety, and opportunities as her male counterparts.
In July of this year, as many remember, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos launched himself into space. While there was some public debate regarding the ethics of this excursion, one key thing happened that that is worthy of unequivocal celebration. His crew, though small and relatively unqualified, had one outstanding pilot and trained astronaut on board: Wally Funk.