With the introduction of the Space Shuttle program NASA began accepting women for the
first time for astronaut training in 1978 and 6 American female astronauts began training
to fly into space. The length of time between the first American man and the first American
woman in space was 23 years. The 1978 astronaut training class included: Anna Fisher, Shannon Lucid,
M. Rhea Seddon, Kathy Sullivan, Judy Resnik, and Sally Ride. NASA recognized that
military test pilot experience was not a necessary requirement for astronaut training and so
emphasis shifted to advanced academic achievement with a minimum doctoral level degree in medicine,
engineering or natural sciences. These women held Doctoral degrees in Electrical Engineering,
Physics, Medicine, Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Geology. They were Engineers, Commercial
Pilots, Oceanographers and Medical doctors.
From the first group of 6 female American
astronauts Sally Ride became the First American woman in space. Kathy Sullivan became the
first American woman to walk in space, Shannon Lucid was the First American woman to fly
on a space station (MIR), and hold the most flight hours in orbit by any woman in the
world. We also found Judy Resnik, the First American woman to die on her way to space
when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after takeoff January 28, 1986.
They all started by submitting their application to the astronaut program. All applicants must
be American citizens, less than 35 years of age, and have a standing height of between
62 and 75 inches. They must pass the NASA long-duration space
flight physical. Astronaut training for the Space Shuttle took
place at the Johnson Space Center in the FFT (Full Fuselage Trainer). This entailed 20
separate courses and up to 100 hours training. The first 2 years of training was mostly in
the classroom where the astronauts were instructed in the engineering systems of the Space Shuttle
including spacecraft propulsion, thermal control, and life support systems. In addition they
received training in orbital mechanics, scientific experimentation, earth sciences, meteorology,
space science, engineering, and astronomy. From the class of 1990 Eileen Collins became
the first woman to pilot, command, and land the Space Shuttle. (Columbia). Pilot astronauts
were required to fly a modified Gulf Stream jet aircraft and fly more than 1,000 approaches
in this aircraft before ever landing the shuttle. Also from the class of 1990 was Susan Helms,
a veteran of 5 Shuttle flights, holding the world record of continuous space-walk time
of 8 hours 56 minutes. Each trainee must be proficient in all activities
related to pre-launch, launch, orbit, entry and landing. They prepare for events that
might pose a hazard to theirs and the crew's health including failure of a critical life
support system, capsule depressurization, fire, and other life-threatening events.
Outside the classroom astronauts are required to pass the military water and land survival
training. They must swim three lengths of a 25 meter pool without stopping and then
swim three lengths of the pool in a flight suit and tennis shoes. They must also tread
water continuously for 10 minutes while wearing a flight suit. The must become SCUBA qualified.
Astronaut candidates are required to train at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL),
a deep water pool where training includes spending approximately 10 hours under water
for every hour they will spend walking in space.
After passing this first phase of training, the astronauts then enter the advanced mission
training phase where they focus on activities specific to their mission which might include
specific satellite launches or scientific experiments.
Between 1978 and 1999, women aboard the Space Shuttle deployed the Hubble Telescope, communication
and other satellites. They captured satellites and repaired them. They launched the Galileo/Jupiter
spacecraft. They conducted numerous scientific experiments including life sciences, Earth
radiation monitoring, metal alloys, solar arrays, and orbital refueling systems. They
tested and helped perfect the cargo bay manipulator arm and they performed the first docking
with the Russian space station MIR. Women performing EVAs or space walks provided valuable
experience which lead to improvements in space suit design, maneuvering systems, and physical
science which helped lead the way to untethered EVAs.
Women have been a leading and integral part in the advancement of human space travel.
Ever mindful of the risky nature of space travel, from the class of 1995 and 1996
Dr. Kalpana Chawla and Dr. Laurel Clark lost their lives when the Shuttle Columbia broke apart
during re-entry February 1, 2003.
In 1999 a new era in space exploration began
when construction was started on the International Space Station. Women continued to play a vital
role in space along with the construction and development of the ISS.
With the construction of the ISS the Space Shuttle took on a different role and astronauts
were required to receive training for the ISS in addition to their basic training.
At the Johnson Space Center the Space Station Mockup and Training Facility (SSMTF) is a
full scale replica of the International Space Station.
For missions aboard the ISS, each astronaut is required to become proficient at one hundred
or more experiments. Advanced training includes a much more in-depth look into the ISS, including
learning how to service and operate all systems. Enhanced science training is also implemented
to ensure all astronauts can perform science experiments on board the ISS. This phase takes
around one year to complete at which time the astronaut is assigned to a flight. Currently
a six month mission to the ISS requires up to five years of astronaut training.
After a six month tour of duty aboard the ISS, Peggy Whitson became the first woman
Commander of the International Space Station in April 2008.
Currently astronauts are only trained to fly in the Russian Soyuz Spacecraft and live on
board the ISS. After the Shuttle retired, Soyuz became the
only mode of transport to the International Space Station. Additional training therefore
is now required of astronauts which includes one year training at Star City in Russia where
astronauts must also take Russian language lessons.
It may be possible that the ISS will be used as a long-duration astronaut training facility
in the future. Another powerful astronaut training tool is NASA's Extreme Environment
Mission Operations (NEEMO), a 40 foot habitation tube anchored in 65 feet of water located off
the coast of Florida. Here astronauts, including women, are training for long deep space missions.
With the end of the Space Shuttle era, and since astronauts are selected on an
as-needed basis, fewer flight opportunities are now available for women and that number
is expected to decline further.
Perhaps one day humans will return to the
moon, land on an asteroid or Mars. Perhaps one day when humans take their first step
on the surface of Mars we will hear the words: That's one small step for a woman.
The memories to me are as if it were yesterday. When the Space Shuttle's engines cut off
and you're finally in space, in orbit, and weightless. And then I remember unstrapping
from my seat, floating over to the window, and that's when I got my first view of Earth,
just a spectacular view and a chance to see our planet as a planet, which very few people
have the opportunity to do. I remember the first time that I looked towards
the horizon. I saw the blackness of space and then this bright blue Earth. And then
I noticed right along the horizon, it looked as if someone had taken a royal blue crayon
and just traced along earth's horizon. Then I realized that that blue line, that really
thin royal blue line was earth's atmosphere and that was all there was of it.