Washoe County Library System

Wally Funk was among the Mercury 13, the first group of American pilots to complete NASAs 1961 Women in Space program. Funk breezed through the rigorous physical and mental tests, her scores beating those of many of the male candidateseven John Glenn. Just one week before Funk was to enter the final phase of training, the entire program was abruptly cancelled. Politics and prejudice meant that none of the more-than-qualified women ever went to space....