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Home , Eileen Collins, Ellison Onizuka, Equal Pay Act of 1963, Flight controller, Frances Northcutt, Guion Bluford

NASA Reflects America’s Changing Opportunities; Social, NASA Impacts US Culture Education: Inspiring Cultural, and Students as Only NASA Can Educational Legacies

Social, Cultural, and Educational Legacies 459 NASA Reflects The , which began flying in 1981 and ushered in an entirely new human program, was a watershed for cultural diversity America’s within NASA and had substantial cultural impact outside the realm of Changing spaceflight. In the 1950s and , opportunities for American women and minorities were limited as they were often segregated into pink Opportunities; collar and menial jobs. NASA’s female and minority employees faced NASA Impacts similar obstacles. The opened up opportunities US Culture for these groups—opportunities that did not exist during Projects Mercury and Gemini or the Apollo and Programs. NASA’s transformation was a direct consequence of a convergence of events Jennifer Ross-Nazzal that happened in the 1960s and 1970s and continued through the Helen Lane following 3 decades. These included: public policy changes instituted on the national level; the development of a whose physical capabilities departed radically from the capsule concept; and an increase in the number of women and minorities holding degrees in the fields of science and engineering, making them attractive candidates for the space agency’s workforce. Over the course of the program, the agency’s demographics reflected this transformation: women and minorities were incorporated into the Corps and other prominent technical and administrative positions.

The impact of NASA’s longest-running program extends beyond these dramatic changes. Today, the shuttle—the crown jewel of NASA’s spaceflight programs—symbolizes and is featured in advertisements, television programs, and movies. Its image exemplifies America’s scientific and economic power and encourages dreamers.

460 Social, Cultural, and Educational Legacies Social Impact—NASA positions, and none were in the illegal for employers to pay women Astronaut Corps, even though four lower than those paid to men for Reflects America’s women had applied for the 1965 doing the same work. President Lyndon Changing Opportunities astronaut class. By the end of the Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of decade, NASA offered few positions 1964, which prohibited Before the Space Shuttle was to qualified minorities and women. (hiring, promoting, or conceived, the aerospace industry, Only eight Blacks at Marshall Space firing) on the basis of race, sex, color, NASA employees, and university Flight Center in Alabama held religion, or national origin. Title VII researchers worked furiously on early professional-rated positions while of the Act established the Equal human spaceflight programs to achieve the Manned Spacecraft Center Employment Opportunity Commission, President John ’s goal of (currently known as Johnson Space which executed the law. The Equal landing a man on the by the end Center) in had 21 , and Kennedy Employment Opportunity Act of 1972 of the 1960s. Although these programs Space Center in had only five. strengthened the commission and expanded its jurisdiction to local, state, employed thousands of personnel Signs of change appeared on the and federal governments during across the , White men horizon as federal legislation addressed President ’s overwhelmingly composed the many of the inequalities faced by administration. The law also required aerospace field at that time, and very women and minorities in the workplace. federal agencies to implement few women and minorities worked as During the Kennedy years, the president affirmative action programs to address engineers or scientists on this project. ordered the chairman of the US Civil issues of inequality in hiring and When they did work at one of NASA’s Service Commission to ensure the promotion practices. centers, women overwhelmingly served federal government offered positions in clerical positions and minorities not on the basis of sex but, rather, on One year earlier, NASA appointed accepted low-paying, menial jobs. merit. Later, he signed into law the Ruth Bates Harris as director of Equal Few held management or professional Equal Pay Act of 1963, making it Employment Opportunity. In the fall

Changing Faces of the From 1985 Through 2010

In 1985, STS-51F—Center: , MD, , In 2010, STS-131 and International (ISS) Expedition 23— medical doctor. To Musgrave’s right, and going clockwise: Anthony Clockwise from lower right: , mission specialist, England, PhD, mission specialist, geophysicist; Karl Henize, PhD, aerospace engineer; , PhD, ISS Expedition 23 mission specialist, astronomer; Roy Bridges, pilot, US Air Force (USAF); flight engineer, chemist; Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, mission Loren Acton, PhD, industry ; John-David Bartoe, PhD, specialist, high school science teacher and coach; Naoko Yamazaki, Navy payload specialist; Gordon Fullerton, commander, USAF. Japanese astronaut, aerospace engineer.

Social, Cultural, and Educational Legacies 461 Though few in number, women and minorities made important contributions to the Space Shuttle Program as NASA struggled with issues of race , PhD and sex. Dottie Lee, one of the few , US Air Force (retired). women engineers at Johnson Space Astronaut on STS-8 (1983), Center and the subsystem manager for STS-61A (1985), aerothermodynamics, encouraged STS-39 (1991), and STS-53 (1992). engineers to use a French curve design for the spacecraft’s nose, which is now affectionately called “Dottie’s nose.” Astronaut Guion Bluford conducting research on STS-53. NASA named Isaac Gillam as head of Shuttle Operations at the Dryden Flight In 1983, Colonel Guion Bluford became the first African American to fly in space. Research Center, where he coordinated He earned a Bachelor of Science in from the Approach and Landing Tests. State University, followed by flight school and military service as a jet pilot In 1978, he became the first African in Vietnam, which included missions over North Vietnam. He went on to earn American to lead a NASA center. a Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in aerospace engineering with a JoAnn Morgan of served as the deputy project minor in laser from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He also earned manager over the Space Shuttle a Master of Business Administration after joining NASA. Prior to joining NASA Launch Processing Systems Central as a US Air Force astronaut, he completed research with several publications. Data Subsystems used for Columbia’s Since leaving NASA, he has held many leadership positions. first launch in 1981 .

As a NASA astronaut, he flew on four missions: two on Challenger (1983, 1985) Astronaut Corps and two on Discovery (1991, 1992). Forced to diversify its workforce in the Dr. Bluford has said, “I was very proud to have served in the astronaut program 1970s, NASA encouraged women and and to have participated on four very successful Space Shuttle flights. I also minorities to apply for the first class felt very privileged to have been a role model for many youngsters, including of Space Shuttle astronauts in 1976. African American kids, who aspired to be scientists, engineers, and astronauts When NASA announced the names in January 1978, the list included six in this country. For me, being a NASA astronaut was a great experience that women, three , and I will always cherish.” one Japanese American, all of whom held advanced degrees. Two of the women were medical doctors, another held a PhD in engineering, and the of 1973, Harris proclaimed NASA’s against women and minorities. others held PhDs in the sciences. equal employment opportunity Eventually, a resolution was reached, Two of the three African Americans program “a near-total failure.” with Fletcher reinstating Harris as had earned doctorates, while the third, Among other things, the agency’s NASA’s deputy assistant administrator Frederick Gregory, held a master’s record on recruiting and hiring for community and human relations. degree. The only Asian member of their women and minorities was inadequate. From 1974 through 1992, Dr. Harriett class, , had completed In October, NASA Administrator Jenkins, the new chief of affirmative a master’s degree in aerospace James Fletcher fired Harris and action at NASA, began the process of engineering. This was the most diverse Congress held hearings to investigate slowly diversifying NASA’s workforce group of astronauts NASA had ever the agency’s affirmative action and increasing the number of female selected and it illustrated the sea change programs. Legislators concluded that and minority candidates. brought about within the Astronaut NASA had a pattern of discriminating Corps by 1978. From then on, all

462 Social, Cultural, and Educational Legacies astronaut classes that NASA selected The Gemini and Apollo-era astronauts in height.) The capabilities of the included either women or minorities. in the office in 1978 were not used shuttle were so unusual that astronauts In fact, the next class included both as to working with women as peers. of all sizes could participate; even well as the first naturalized citizen “But, they knew that this was coming,” —one of the tallest astronaut candidate, Dr. Franklin she said, “and they’d known it was astronauts ever selected at 6 feet Chang-Diaz, a Costa Rican by birth. coming for a couple of years.” By 1978, 4 inches—could fit inside the vehicle. the remaining astronauts “had adapted Eventually, flight crews, which had Admitting women into the Astronaut to the idea.” As a sign of the changing previously consisted of one, two, or Corps did require some change in culture within NASA, she could not three American test pilots, expanded the NASA culture, recalled Carolyn recall any issues the women of her class in size and the shuttle flew astronauts Huntoon, a member of the 1978 encountered. This visible change from across the globe, just as Nixon astronaut selection board and mentor signaled a dramatic shift within the had hoped when he approved the to the first six female astronauts. agency’s macho culture. shuttle in 1972. Indeed, the shuttle “Attitude was the biggest thing we became the vehicle by which everyone, had to [work on],” she said. The 1978 group was unique in other regardless of protected classes—sex, ways. Several of the men and women Astronaut Richard Mullane, who was race, ethnicity, or national origin— came from the civilian world and their selected as an astronaut candidate could participate. experiences differed greatly from those in 1978, had never worked with of their classmates who had come After the first four flights, the shuttle professional women before coming from the military. Previously, test pilots crews expanded to include mission to NASA. Looking back on those first had comprised the majority of the specialists (a new category of few years, he remembered that “the office. Many of the PhDs were young, astronauts that would perform research women had to endure a lot because” with less life experience, according to in space, deploy in orbit, so many of the astronauts came from Mullane, than many of the military test and conduct spacewalks). In addition military backgrounds and “had never pilots and flight test engineers who had to these scientists and engineers, the worked with women and were kind completed tours in Vietnam. shuttle allowed room for a different of struggling to come to grips on category—the payload specialist. working professionally with women.” The shuttle concept brought about other These individuals were not members measurable changes. The versatility When “everyone saw they could hold of the Astronaut Corps. They were of the Space Shuttle, when compared their own, they were technically good, selected by companies or countries with the first generation of spacecraft, they were physically fit, they would flying a payload on board the shuttle. provided greater opportunities for more do the job, people sort of relaxed a Over the years, payload specialists participants. The shuttle was a much little bit and started accepting them,” from , , Canada, more flexible vehicle than the capsules explained Huntoon. West , , , the of the past, when astronauts had to be , , , the , , one of the first six female 6 feet tall or under to fit into the and Sweden flew on the shuttle as did astronauts selected, remembered spacecraft. (The Mercury astronauts two members of Congress: US Senator the first few years a bit differently. could be no more than 5 feet 11 inches

International Participation in the Space Shuttle Program American astronauts flew with representatives from 15 other countries. a s i d d b n n a a y l r a

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Social, Cultural, and Educational Legacies 463 and Columbia accidents, and numerous other tributes (coins and songs, for Diversity Succeeds instance) were made to the fallen astronauts. Naturally, national interest In 2005, NASA selected a new class of in the Return to Flight missions of flight directors, one of the most diverse STS-26 (1 988) and ST S-1 14 (2005) ever selected, which included the first was high, with a great deal of attention African American (Kwatsi Alibaruho) showered on America’s newest idols. Richard Covey, pilot of the STS-26 and the first two Hispanics (Ginger flight, recalled, “it was unprecedented, Kerrick and Richard Jones). At the time the attention that we got.” The crews of of their selection, only 58 people had the Return to Flight missions after the served in the position. All three began accidents also symbolized the changes their careers with NASA as students within the Astronaut Corps. For Return to Flight after the Challenger accident, and then rose through the ranks. Since A diverse workforce. the crew members were all male. By their selection, Kerrick and Alibaruho 2005, the Return to Flight mission have guided shifts in and in the International Space Station flight , following the Columbia accident had a while Jones has supervised shuttle flights. In all, the class of 2005 dramatically changed female commander. the look of shuttle and station flight directors. , Texas, Changes of and Congressman former Space Shuttle Commander As the definition of the term “astronaut” of Florida. Industry also became NASA became more fluid over time, America’s flew its own researchers, who managed administrator in the summer of 2009. idea of what constituted a flight director their commercial payloads, with In all, 48 women flew on the shuttle or also evolved. In the first being McDonnell Douglas’ over the course of the program NASA’s heyday, all flight directors and Charles Walker. In 1972, NASA between 1981 and 2 01 0. nearly all flight controllers were men, Deputy Administrator George Low The female and minority shuttle with the exception of Frances Northcutt. remembered that this was one of the astronauts quickly became heroes She blazed the trail during the Apollo things Nixon liked about the program: in the United States and abroad for Program, becoming the first woman to “the fact that ordinary people,” not just breaking through barriers that had work in the . test pilots “would be able to fly in the prevented their participation in the The number of women expanded over shuttle, and that the only requirement 1960s and 1970s. Millions celebrated the years as the agency prepared for for a flight would be that there is a the launches of Sally Ride, Guion the orbital test flights. Opportunities mission to be performed.” Bluford, , and Mae to work in the cathedral of spaceflight Over the years, women and minorities Jemison: first American woman, (Mission Control) also expanded for also made their way into the pilot African American, Native American, other underrepresented groups, like seat on board the shuttle and eventually and African American woman, African Americans. Angie Johnson, the went on to direct their own missions, respectively, in space. first African American female flight with serving as the first controller in the control center in 1982, When the crews of STS- 51L (1 986) and female pilot and commander. Space served as payloads officer for STS-2. STS -1 07 (2003) perished, Americans Transportation System (STS)-33 (1 989) grieved. Lost in two separate-but-tragic Over the years, the number of featured the first African American accidents, the astronauts immediately women working in mission operations commander, Frederick Gregory, who became America’s heroes. In honor of increased dramatically. But, in later became NASA’s deputy their sacrifice, two separate memorials general, NASA was slow to promote administrator. An example of NASA’s were erected at Arlington National women into the coveted position of diverse workforce, African American Cemetery to the crews of the Challenger flight director, with the first selected

464 Social, Cultural, and Educational Legacies in 1985—7 years after women were Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA Impacts first named as astronaut candidates. Alabama, Changes Change came slowly, however. US Culture Eventually, flight teams became so Alabama women broke the glass ceiling open to women that they were nearly and accepted Space Shuttle management Since its inception, NASA has equally composed of men and women. positions during the 1990s and the captivated the dreamers and following years. From 1992 to 1996, adventurers, and its Dewanna Edwards served as deputy captured the public’s interest and Kennedy Space Center, manager of the Space Shuttle Main imagination. Similarly, the Space Florida, Changes Engine Project Office. In 2002, Jody Shuttle broadly impacted art, Singer was appointed manager of the In the mid 1970s, women and popular music, film, television, and Reusable Solid Project, minorities did not have a strong photos, as well as consumer culture. making her the first woman to lead a presence at Kennedy Space Center Over the years, the shuttle became propulsion element office at NASA. (KSC). In fact, many operational a cultural icon—a symbol of She remained in that position until 2007, facilities at KSC did not even provide America’s technological prowess when she became deputy manager of separate restroom facilities for women. that inspired many people inside and the Shuttle Propulsion Office, which Women had to work extra hard to gain outside of the agency. was responsible for the main engines, acceptance within the KSC community. boosters, and External Tank. Paintings and murals of the shuttle, Nevertheless, a handful of talented Management appointed Sandy Coleman payloads, and flight crews abound. and dedicated women and minorities project manager for the tank project Numerous pieces of art in a variety of broke through the cultural barriers in 2003—a position she held until mediums—fabric, watercolors, acrylic, that were in place. JoAnne Morgan 2006. From 2000 to 2004, Ann McNair oil, etching, triptych, and pencil— became the first and, at the time, only managed the Ground Systems depict the launch and landing of the female system engineer. By the mid Department of Flight Projects. She shuttle, simulations, spacewalks, and 1980s, many men from the Apollo-era was responsible for the Huntsville the launch facilities. Artist Henry workforce began retiring from NASA, Operations Support Center and its key Casselli used watercolors to depict providing management opportunities facilities, including the Payload Astronaut as he suited for women and minorities. Ann Operations Integration Center that up for the first shuttle flight (1 981). Montgomery became the first female supported payload and science research Space artist Bob McCall painted flow director for the shuttle and Ruth for the International Space Station. several of the murals that adorn the Harrison was one of the first system During the same period, she led the walls of many of NASA’s centers, engineers within the External Tank development of the Chandra X-ray including Johnson Space Center. Ground Support group. The first Observatory Operations Control Center. “Opening the Space Frontier: The Next female senior executive—JoAnne In 2004, McNair was appointed Giant Step”—the large mural in the Morgan—was soon joined by others. manager of the Mission Operations now decommissioned visitor center— Ruth Harrison rose to the level of Laboratory in the Engineering includes the shuttle and one of NASA’s associate director of shuttle processing. Directorate. In 2007, she was named female astronauts. Coincidentally, at By the 1990s, Arnold Postell, an the center’s director of operations. Young’s urging, McCall designed the African American engineer, and Hugo STS- 1 patch. Delgado, a Hispanic American engineer, became branch chiefs for the Summary shuttle Launch Processing System on Music their way to senior management. As of Despite these advancements at NASA’s shuttle field centers, women and The shuttle, the crews, and the October 2 01 0, all flow directors at missions inspired many musicians, KSC were women along with the minorities did not break into some key positions. As of 2 01 0, not one minority who composed songs about the shuttle lead test director and the directors for and its flights. Canadian rockers Rush, shuttle processing. The workforce or woman served as shuttle launch director or managed the Space Shuttle. who were present at the first launch, culture at KSC clearly evolved into wrote their 1982 song “Countdown” one of inclusion and equal opportunity. NASA could, however, point to significant workforce diversification by about that event and dedicated that song the end of the program.

Social, Cultural, and Educational Legacies 465 to “Astronauts Young, [Robert] Film and Television home improvement program—and Crippen, and all the people of NASA showed off some of the tools they ® for their inspiration and cooperation.” IMAX films built on the thrill of used to work on the telescope in space. When First Lady Hillary Rodham spaceflight by capturing the excitement Following this episode, astronauts from Clinton announced that a woman and exhilaration of NASA’s on-orbit the US Microgravity Laboratory-2, would command a mission for the operations. Shuttle astronauts were STS-73 (1 995), appeared on Home first time in NASA’s 40-year history, trained to use the camera and recorded Improvement . Astronaut Kenneth the NASA Arts Program asked Judy some of the program’s most notable Bowersox, who was pilot for one Collins to write a song to commemorate events as the events unfolded in orbit, flight and commander of two flights, the occasion. She agreed and composed like the spacewalk of Kathryn Sullivan, made three appearances on the show. “Beyond the Sky” for that historic America’s first woman spacewalker. Bowersox once brought Astronaut flight. The song describes the dream Marketed as “the next best thing to , who also flew on of a young girl to fly beyond the sky being there,” the film The Dream is STS-82 (1 997). and heavens. The girl eventually Alive documented living and working The Space Shuttle and its space fliers achieves her goal and instills hope in space on board shuttle. Destiny were also the subject of the television in those with similar aspirations. in Space featured shots from the drama The Cape . Based on the astronaut This is foreshadowed in the fifth verse. dramatic first Hubble servicing mission in 1993, which experience, the short-lived series boasted a record-breaking five captured the drama and excitement She had led the way spacewalks. Other feature films like associated with training and flying beyond darkness Mission to took audiences to the shuttle missions. Set and filmed at Kennedy Space Center, the series ran For other dreamers who Russian space station, where American for one season in the mid 1990s. would dare the sky astronauts and cosmonauts performed scientific research. She has led us to believe in dreaming The excitement inspired by the Space Consumer Culture Shuttle and the technological abilities— The enduring popularity of the Space Given us the hope that both real and imagined—did not Shuttle extended beyond film and we can try escape screenwriters and Hollywood television into consumer culture. directors. In fact, the shuttle appeared Authored for NASA as part of the NASA Arts Program. During the shuttle era, millions of as a “character” in numerous films, people purchased goods that bore and several major motion pictures images of shuttle mission insignias featured a few of NASA’s properties. and the NASA logo—pins, patches, Inspiration These films attracted audiences across T-shirts, polos, mugs, pens, stuffed the world and sold millions of dollars The shuttle inspired so many people animals, toys, and other mementos. in tickets based on two basic themes: in such different ways. Much as the The shuttle, a cultural icon of the space NASA’s can-do spirit in the face of flag came to symbolize American program associated with America’s insurmountable challenges, and the pride, so too did the launch and progress in space, was also prominently flexibility of the shuttle. They include landing of the shuttle. As an example, featured on wares. Flight and launch Moonraker , Space Camp , Armageddon , William Parsons, Kennedy Space and re-entry suits, worn by the and Space Cowboys . Center’s former director, witnessed astronauts, were particularly popular his first launch at age 28 and recalled, Television programs also could not with younger children who had hopes “When I saw that shuttle take off at escape the pull of the Space Shuttle. In of one day flying in space. People dusk, it was the most unbelievable 1994, the crew of Space Transportation still bid on thousands of photos and experience. I got tears in my eyes; System (STS)- 61 (1 993), the first posters signed by shuttle astronauts on my heart pounded. I was proud to be Hubble servicing mission, appeared on Internet selling and trading sites. an American, to see that we could do ABC’s Home Improvement . Six of the Photos of the shuttle, its crews, something that awesome.” seven crew members flew to astronaut portraits, and images of for the taping, where they starred as notable events in space are ubiquitous. guests of Tool Time —the fictional

466 Social, Cultural, and Educational Legacies , MD, PhD Japanese astronaut. Payload specialist on STS-65 (1994) and STS-95 (1998). Deputy mission scientist for STS-107 (2003). .

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other science missions (STS-47 and STS-90). On my last , 4 9 9 1 assignment, I was a deputy mission scientist for the STS-107 © science mission on board the . I really enjoyed working with many motivated people for The Space Shuttle Program enabled me to leave the and those missions. I treasure these memories. Among the many to expand my professional activities into space. My dream of photographs taken during my time as an astronaut, I have one ‘Living and working in space’ has been truly realized. Thanks favorite sentimental picture. The picture was taken from the to the enormous capacity of human and cargo transportation ground showing STS-65, Columbia, making its final approach made by the Space Shuttles between Earth and space, people to Kennedy Space Center. The classic line of the shuttle is can now feel that ‘Space is reachable and that it is ours.’ clearly illuminated by the full moon softly glowing in the I want to thank the dedicated people responsible for making dawn’s early light. When I see this photo, I cannot believe that this successful program happen. The spirit of the Space Shuttle I was actually on board the Columbia at that moment. It makes will surely live on, inspiring future generations to continue me feel like everything that happened to me was in a dream. using the International Space Station and to go beyond.”

They can be found in books, magazines, well-known photo, taken by the crew witness the launch and landing of the calendars, catalogs, on television of STS -1 07 (2003), features the moon in shuttle, and also drove to California, news broadcasts, and on numerous a haze of blue. where the shuttle sometimes landed. non-NASA Web sites. They adorn the Kennedy Space Center’s Visitor walls of offices and homes across Complex in Florida and the US Space the world. One of the most famous Tourism and Rocket Center in Alabama welcome images captures the historic spacewalk The Space Shuttle attracted vacationing millions of sightseers each year—people of Astronaut Bruce McCandless in travelers from the beginning of the who hope to learn more about the the set program. Tourists from across the nation’s human spaceflight program. against the blackness of space. Another country and globe flocked to Florida to Visitors at Kennedy Space Center have

Social, Cultural, and Educational Legacies 467 the unique opportunity to experience the thrill of a simulated launch on the Shuttle Launch Experience, with veteran shuttle Astronaut Bolden walking riders through the launch sequence. Others Brewster Shaw visit Space Center in Texas and Colonel, US Air Force (retired). the Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center Pilot on STS-9 (1983). in Virginia, the latter of which includes Commander on STS-61B (1985) and STS-28 (1989). the Enterprise, the first Space Shuttle Orbiter rolled out in 1976. Space Is For Everyone One need only visit the areas surrounding the space centers to see the “I was on STS-9 and we had waved off several revs before landing in California. ties that bind NASA’s longest-running My wife joined me after the postflight conference. I asked her what she program with their local and state thought. She replied that I said ‘Space is for everyone.’ I have reflected on that. communities. In the Clear Lake area (Texas), McDonald’s restaurant I remember looking out the back window of the shuttle and looking at Earth as attracted visitors by placing a it passed by very quickly. I marveled at the fact the human brain has developed larger-than-life astronaut model donned the capability to lift 250,000 pounds of mass into orbit and is flying around at in a shuttle-era spacesuit on top of the the orbital velocity of 17 ,500 miles per hour—what an accomplishment of roof. A mock Space Shuttle sits on the lawn of ’s city hall. mankind! Looking at Earth from that vantage point made me realize that there Proud of its ties to the space program, are a lot of people on Earth who would give their arm and a leg to be where Florida featured the shuttle on the state I am! Here I was a 30-something macho and I was humbled! quarter released by the US Mint in 2004; Texas, by contrast, included the “Suddenly it occurred to me how privileged I was to be here in space! It was Space Shuttle on its state license plates. a revelation. I had no more right than any other human being to be here— I was just luckier than they were. There I realized that space is for everyone! Summary I decided to dedicate my career to helping as many humans as possible experience what I was experiencing.” For nearly 30 years, longer than the flights of Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab combined, the Space Shuttle—the world’s most complex spacecraft at the time—had a An Expansive Legacy opportunities for women, minorities, tremendous influence on all aspects of industry, and international partners American culture. Television programs in the exploration of the universe not The Space Shuttle became an “icon” and motion pictures featured real-life only benefitted those individuals who not only for the capabilities and and imaginary Space Shuttle astronauts; had the most to gain; the expansion technological beauty of the vehicles, children, entertained by these programs also made the program an even greater but also for the positive changes and films, dreamed of a future at success because of each individual’s NASA ultimately embraced and NASA. Twenty-five years after Sally unique and highly qualified further championed. Through the Ride’s first flight, thousands of contributions. No longer regarded efforts of those who recognized the girls—who were not even born at the as a “manned” spaceflight in the most need for diversity in the workplace, time of her launch—joined Sally Ride’s literal sense of the term, the shuttle the Space Shuttle Program was Science Club, inspired by her career as ushered in a new era of “human” ultimately weaved into the fabric the first American woman in space. spaceflight that is here to stay. of our nation—on both a social and a cultural level. The expansion of

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