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Wally Funk, last ‘Mercury 13’ and oldest woman to fly to space, dies at 87

Wally Funk, the trailblazing aviator and final living member of NASA’s original “Mercury 13” astronaut trainee class, died at 87 in Texas. She flew into space at 82 after decades of waiting, later recognized as the oldest woman in space, following a Blue Origin invitation.

Discovered 2026-07-09T09:59:25.062127-07:00 | 2026-07-09T09:59:25.062127-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • Funk’s death marks the passing of the last surviving member of the “Mercury 13,” a foundational U.S. milestone for women’s participation in astronaut programs, linking the earliest era of human spaceflight to modern commercial missions.
  • Her eventual flight—60 years after initial astronaut training—offers a long-horizon reference point for how commercial spaceflight pathways can ultimately broaden access compared with historic government-led selection timelines.
  • The Blue Origin connection underscores continued public interest in human spaceflight milestones and the growing role of private providers alongside NASA in shaping spaceflight narratives: Human spaceflight coverage

Reported By

haber.aero The Independent spacecoastdaily.com Reuters CNA al.com
Sources Tracked
20
First Seen
2026-07-09T09:59:25.062127-07:00
Latest Update
2026-07-09T23:59:35.103674-07:00
Coverage
Space

Sources

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2026-07-09T15:25:37.299626-07:00

Wally Funk • en.wikipedia.org

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