Browse Items (31 total)

Portrait of Bernice "B" Steadman standing next to some of her flying trophies. Steadman was one of thirteen women to pass the first female astronaut testing program in 1961. This group of thirteen women later became known as the Mercury 13.

A portrait of Bernice “B” Steadman, a member of the Mercury 13.

A portrait of Gene Nora Stumbough Jessen, a member of the Mercury 13.

A portrait of Geraldine “Jerri” Sloan Truhill, a member of the Mercury 13.

Geraldine “Jerri” Sloan Truhill kneels to polish the wing of a Beech Bonanza plane while her co-pilot, Martha Ann Reading, lays underneath the plane. The women are preparing the Beechcraft Bonanza H-35 for the 12th All Women's Transcontinental Air…

Aviatrix Geraldine "Jerri" Sloan Truhill bending down from the cockpit of a Cessna 175 to pick up her son, David. Next to her sits her co-pilot, Martha Ann Reading. Truhill was one of the thirteen women who passed all of the astronaut tests given at…

Aviatrix Geraldyn “Jerrie” Cobb shows off one of her many flying awards.

Aviatrix Geraldyn “Jerrie” Cobb uses the reflection of an airplane spinner to apply her makeup.

Aviatrix Geraldyn “Jerrie” Cobb sits at the controls of an airplane, holding an aerial map.

Geraldyn “Jerrie” Cobb undergoing astronaut testing. Cobb was one of thirteen women that successfully passed these tests, and this group later became known as the Mercury 13. Cobb was the first woman to complete these tests.