Wally Funk became the oldest woman to be launched into space in 2021 at the age of 82. She had spent her entire life preparing for that moment.
NASA Artemis Moon Mission: Everything you need to know about the landing and moon base
NASA is planning both manned and unmanned missions to the Moon with the goal of building a lunar base and establishing a long-term human presence.
The oldest woman to be launched into space has died.
Wally Funk, the pioneering American aviator who fulfilled his lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut at the age of 82, died of natural causes at his home late Wednesday, July 8, according to the City of Grapevine, Texas. She was 87 years old.
“Wally Funk’s unwavering commitment proves that dreams have no expiration date,” Grapevine City Councilman Duff O’Dell said in a statement. “Her courage, resilience, and groundbreaking accomplishments continue to inspire young people, especially girls, to pursue careers in science, aviation, and space exploration.”
Funk joined the crew of Blue Origin’s New Shepard NS-16 mission in 2021, becoming the oldest person to launch into space. Also on board were Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos, and Dutch space traveler Oliver Damen.
Her record was later broken when Star Trek actor William Shatner and America’s first black astronaut candidate, Ed Dwight, also launched on Blue Origin. Both were 90.
By the time Funk took off into space, she had spent her life preparing for the adventure. Funk was one of the Mercury 13, a group of women who passed the same rigorous physiological tests as NASA astronauts in the early 1960s. According to Grapevine, Funk ranked among the top performers within the program, outperforming many of his male counterparts on certain tests. But because she grew up in an era when NASA didn’t allow female astronauts, Funk wasn’t able to go into space.
Still, Funk spent most of his life in the air. She became the first female flight instructor at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. She trained more than 3,000 pilots and logged more than 30,000 flight hours during her career.
Funk also served as an air transport pilot, international aviation specialist, and the first female Federal Aviation Administration inspector.
Grapevine spokeswoman Mona Quintanilla said Funk had lived in the city of about 50,000 people for 12 years. She was the talk of the town. When she returns from space in 2021, the city has organized a parade for her.
Mr. Bezos recalls his role in the New Shepard project.
“Wally Funk waited 60 years to reach space, and no one has gotten better. She trained on Mercury 13 in 1961, tested better than most, and was told no anyway,” Amazon founder-turned-space entrepreneur Wally Funk said in a statement. “Five years ago this month, I had the privilege of flying with her on New Shepard’s first manned flight. At 82 years old, she was fearless and joyful, and even before she landed she said she wanted to go again.”
Blue Origin added: “Her story will continue to inspire generations of future explorers.”
In his own words, Funk simply described his mission: “I really liked it…I want to go again soon.”
