In 1961, Dr. Randy Lovelace created the Women in Space program. After a series of rigorous physical and psychological exams, 13 experienced airplane pilots were selected as the first female astronaut trainees. Unfortunately, NASA required all astronauts to complete a military jet test piloting program, something that women were incapable of doing at the time; the program was shut down and the group disbanded. However, these 13 women have been acknowledged as trailblazers for others, including the first American woman in space, Sally Ride.
Margaret A. Weitekamp's Right Stuff, Wrong Sex uses extensive research and first-hand accounts to delve into the lives of these 13 women and how they braved prejudice to prove that women were capable of achieving the same successes as men.
