I found a neat article on early Mercury era female test pilots on the CNN site. Here is an excerpt :Nearly half a century ago, 13 female pilots proved they were as fit to go into space as the men who became immortalized as America's first astronauts, the Mercury 7.
The women underwent the same intensive medical tests, at the same Albuquerque, New Mexico, clinic, administered by the same staff, as the men did two years earlier.
"When you put them next to the men, they were as good or better," recalled Dr. Donald Kilgore, who helped test both the men and women between 1959 and 1961 at the Lovelace Clinic.
What was the women's biggest obstacle?
"Ovaries," said Kilgore. "The world just wasn't ready at that time."
click on the article title for more.
2 comments:
Yes, I read about this while studying in the (excellent)Online Astronomy program at Swinburne Uni in Australia. Amazing - virtually a secret cadre of astronauts...I'll see if I can dig anything else up.
oh that would be sweet Shaun. I knew that there were female test pilots during that era, but did not realize the level of their progress and ability to the point of being better suited in some facets than their male compatriots. I am constantly amazed and at the same time frightened by the level of editing from contemporary history. I can not justify precluding woman from the early programs (Russia saw the chance to upstage the US and took it ) I can understand the pressure to male candidates (even if I dont agree with the logic which was flawed) buy why edit such an important portion of history out of being? Even during WW2 some of the best pilots were female. Even if they didn't see combat, they were still making great contributions to the effort, but almost nothing is recorded about their contribution. Even less is taught in educational history. Thats a shame.
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