“I think it’s so vitally important that all people in this world are involved in the process of discovery.” – Mae Jemison

From the United States’ first manned space shuttle mission in 1961 to today’s exploration of Mars, outer space has always been a place of fascination and discovery. To honor the May 5th anniversary of the first American in space, this week we learn about the pioneering women who left profound legacies on space exploration, both in the United States and abroad.

Margaret Hamilton: mother, coder, spaceship programmer

The first African-American woman to travel into space, Mae Jemison

International Women’s Air & Space Museum

Eileen Collins – NASA’s first female shuttle commander

Valentina Tereshkova: first woman in outer space

“Rogue Women Astronauts of the 1960s Who Never Flew”

The African-American women who “helped provide NASA with the raw computing power it needed to dominate the heavens.”

An interview with Sally Ride (Don’t forget, May 26th is Sally Ride Day.)

In Alabama: The U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville