In Search of History
The Mercury 13: Secret Astronauts
1998 • E20 Oct 22, 1998 45m
MERCURY 13: THE SECRET ASTRONAUTS tells the surprising story of these would-be pioneers who had the right stuff but the wrong sex. Three of the surviving members of the 13 tell their personal stories of how they came to the program, the tests they endured, and their feelings about never getting into orbit. Hear from one of the physicians who was responsible for selecting the "astronaut candidates," and discover how they paved the way for present-day astronauts like Bonnie Dunbar. Overlooked and ignored for decades, the first women in the space program finally get their due.