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Wally Funk, Who Set an Age Record for Space Travel, Dies at 87
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Wally Funk, a pioneering female aviator and the oldest person to fly in space at age 82, has died at her home in Grapevine, Texas, at 87.
- She was a member of the Mercury 13, a group of women tested in the early 1960s to assess their suitability for space travel, and was the only aviator in the group to pass all the rigorous tests.
- Funk achieved her lifelong dream of flying in space more than 60 years after the initial testing, highlighting her enduring dedication to aviation.
- Her passion for aviation was profound, as she expressed in her 2020 memoir, stating that aviation was her entire life.
