Wally Funk Dies at 87
Wally Funk, aviation pioneer and oldest person to fly in space, dies at 87, leaving a legacy in space travel and women's aviation history.
Key points
- Wally Funk, a trailblazing pilot, became the oldest person to fly in space in 2021 at the age of 82 on Blue Origin's New Shepard.
- Funk participated in the Woman in Space Program in the 1960s, passing all physical and mental tests, but was not accepted as a NASA astronaut.
- She logged over 19,600 flying hours and was the Federal Aviation Administration's first female inspector.
- Funk's space travel record was later broken by William Shatner and Ed Dwight, but her legacy in aviation and space exploration remains significant.
- Funk died on July 8 at her home in Grapevine, Texas, at the age of 87, as reported by The New York Times.
Wally Funk, a pioneering figure in aviation and space travel, has passed away at the age of 87. Her remarkable journey began in the early 1960s when she participated in the Woman in Space Program, undergoing rigorous physical and mental tests alongside 12 other women. Although she excelled in these tests, Funk was not selected as a NASA astronaut. However, her determination and passion for flying only grew stronger. She went on to log an impressive 19,600 flying hours and became the first woman to work as an inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration. Funk's dream of traveling to space finally came true in 2021 when she flew on the first crewed flight of Blue Origin's New Shepard at the age of 82, breaking a record held by John Glenn for 23 years. This achievement cemented her place in history as a trailblazer for women in space exploration. Though her record was later surpassed by others, including William Shatner and Ed Dwight, Funk's legacy continues to inspire generations of astronauts, pilots, and space enthusiasts.
Sources
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