| Promised the Moon: The Untold Story of the First Women in the Space Race Contributor(s): Nolen, Stephanie (Author) |
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ISBN: 1568583192 ISBN-13: 9781568583198 Publisher: Basic Books OUR PRICE: $20.89 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: October 2004 Annotation: A female world-record-setting pilot, Jerrie Cobb was recruited in 1959 to take the astronaut tests. She excelled, so the doctor who supervised the selection of NASA's Mercury astronauts recruited additional female pilots. Twelve performed exceptionally. Stephanie Nolen tracked down eleven of the surviving "Fellow Lady Astronaut Trainees" and learned the story of those early days of the space race and the disappointment when, in 1961, the women were grounded. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Science | History - Technology & Engineering | Aeronautics & Astronautics - Science | Physics - Astrophysics |
| Dewey: 629.450 |
| Physical Information: 0.98" H x 6.02" W x 8.94" (1.11 lbs) 356 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - 1950's - Chronological Period - 1960's - Sex & Gender - Feminine - Chronological Period - 20th Century |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: In 1959, the doctor who supervised NASA's astronaut selection concluded that women might fare better in space than men. His testing of 25 top female pilots for reactions to isolation, centrifuge, and weightlessness proved him right, and 13 exceptional candidates were identified. Despite countless personal and professional sacrifices, these women joined NASA's clandestine new program -- which, after two intensive years, was suddenly, and mysteriously, canceled. Promised the Moon chronicles the dramatic story of the rise and fall of these pioneering female astronauts, patriots betrayed by men like John Glenn, who opposed women astronauts, and by someone from their own ranks. The first writer to track down the surviving Fellow Lady Astronaut Trainees, Stephanie Nolen vividly brings this fascinating and timely tale to life. Historical photographs are included in this riveting account. |