Wally Funk will fly to space on New Shepard’s first human flight
Fulfilling a lifelong mission to become an astronaut, Wally Funk will fly to space on New Shepard’s first human flight on July 20 as an honored guest. She will join Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, and the auction winner on the flight.
Wally’s journey to space began in the 1960s when she was the youngest graduate of the Woman in Space Program, a privately-funded project which tested female pilots for astronaut fitness. Later known as the “Mercury 13” – thirteen American women successfully underwent the same physiological and psychological screening tests as the astronauts selected by NASA for Project Mercury, but they never flew to space. Wally was the youngest graduate of this program.
She was the first female FAA inspector and first female NTSB air safety investigator. The 82-year-old pilot will now be part of the first crew on New Shepard, and the oldest person ever to fly to space.
Here’s the moment Jeff Bezos asked Wally Funk to join our first human flight on July 20 as his honored guest:
-Gradatim Ferociter
Share
Latest Posts
Dec 9, 2024NewsBlue Ring Pathfinder Payload Ready for Launch; Blue Origin’s New Glenn on Track for This Year
Blue Origin’s payload for New Glenn’s first mission, NG-1, is ready for launch this year. NG-1 will carry the company’s Blue Ring Pathfinder.
Nov 22, 2024NewsBlue Origin Completes 28th Mission to Space
Blue Origin successfully completed its ninth human spaceflight and the 28th flight for the New Shepard program.
Nov 14, 2024NewsAST SpaceMobile Selects Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket to Deliver Next-Generation BlueBird Satellites to Space
Blue Origin announced a multi-launch agreement to deliver multiple next-generation Block 2 BlueBird satellites to low Earth orbit on New Glenn.