Mercury 13

These thirteen women underwent the same physical and psychological tests as their male counterparts. All completed two phases of testing before testing was suspended in July of 1961. Jerrie Cobb completed three phases of testing.

There had originally been 25 candidates for testing. This was reduced to these 13. Since testing was never completed, no actual training was ever performed.

Rhea Hurrle Allison Woltman (nee Hurrle), b. 1928, Fair Haven, Minnesota

Myrtle K. Thompson Cagle, b. 1922

Geraldyn "Jerrie" M. Cobb, b. 5 March 1931, Norman, Oklahoma

Jan Dietrich, b. 1926, San Francisco, California, (d. 5 June 2008) (twin sister to Marion)

Marion Dietrich, b. 1926, San Francisco, California, (d. 1 December 1974) (twin sister to Jan)

Mary Wallace "Wally" Funk II, b. 31 January 1939, Taos, New Mexico

Sarah Lee Ratley Gorlick (nee Ratley), b. 1931, Kansas City, Kansas

Jane "Janey" Briggs Hart, b. 1920, Detroit, Michigan

Jean Hixon, b. 1921, Hoopeston, Illinois (d. 1984)

Irene Leverton, b. 1924

Geraldine "Jerri" Sloan Truhill, b. 12 November 1928

Bernice "Bea" Trimble Steadman, b. 1923

Gene Nora Jessen (nee Stumbough), b. 10 January 1937, Springfield, Illinois

Exuberant and thrilled to be at the Kennedy Space Center, seven women who once aspired to fly into space stand outside Launch Pad 39B near the Space Shuttle Discovery, poised for liftoff on the first flight of 1995. They are members of the First Lady Astronaut Trainees, who helped pave the way for the milestone Eileen Collins set: becoming the first female Shuttle pilot. Visiting the space center as invited guests of STS-63 Pilot Eileen Collins are (from left): Gene Nora Jessen, Wally Funk, Jerrie Cobb, Jerri Truhill, Sarah Ratley, Myrtle Cagle and Bernice Steadman. (click to enlarge)

Jerrie Cobb testing the Gimbal Rig in the Altitude Wind Tunnel, April 1960. (click to enlarge)

To learn more about these unsung heroes, visit Mercury 13 - the Women of the Mercury Era.

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