Wally Funk, Aviation Pioneer and Space Traveler, Dies at 87

1-Minute Brief

Funk's achievements highlight the barriers faced by women in early space programs and her eventual breakthrough.

Key Facts

• Wally Funk was selected in 1961 as one of the elite women in the Mercury 13 program.
• She completed the same rigorous training as the Mercury 7 astronauts.
• Funk was not allowed to become a NASA astronaut as a young woman in the 1960s.
• She eventually flew in space as an octogenarian, setting an age record for space travel.
• Wally Funk has died at the age of 87.

What Happened

Wally Funk, a pioneering aviator and member of the Mercury 13 program, has died at 87. She later set an age record for space travel.

Why It Matters

Funk's career illustrates both the obstacles women faced in the early U.S. space program and the persistence required to achieve historic milestones in aviation and spaceflight.

What's Next

Tributes and retrospectives on Funk's contributions to aviation and space exploration are expected. No further developments have been reported.