"The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts" by Loren Grush

The Six by Loren Grush
Call Number: 629.45 Grush
When NASA sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s the agency excluded women from the corps, arguing that only military test pilots--a group then made up exclusively of men--had the right stuff. It was an era in which women were steered away from jobs in science and deemed unqualified for space flight. Eventually, though, NASA recognized its blunder and opened the application process to a wider array of hopefuls, regardless of race or gender. From a candidate pool of 8,000 six elite women were selected in 1978--Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon. In The Six , acclaimed journalist Loren Grush shows these brilliant and courageous women enduring claustrophobic--and sometimes deeply sexist--media attention, undergoing rigorous survival training, and preparing for years to take multi-million-dollar payloads into orbit. Together, the Six helped build the tools that made the space program run. One of the group, Judy Resnik, sacrificed her life when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded at 46,000 feet. Everyone knows of Sally Ride's history-making first space ride, but each of the Six would make their mark.

Character Development:
- How did the author portray the female astronauts in terms of personality, strengths, and challenges? Were the characters well-developed and relatable?
Historical Context:
- How did the book capture the historical context and challenges faced by female astronauts during the time period it covers? Were there notable historical events or milestones mentioned?
Gender Dynamics:
- Explore how the book addresses gender dynamics within the field of space exploration. How did the female astronauts navigate and challenge gender stereotypes and biases?
Career and Personal Sacrifices:
- Discuss the career and personal sacrifices made by the female astronauts. How did their commitment to space exploration impact their personal lives and relationships?
Team Dynamics:
- Explore the dynamics among the astronauts as a team. How did the female astronauts interact with their colleagues, and were there any unique challenges they faced as women in a predominantly male field?
Trailblazing Achievements:
- Highlight any groundbreaking achievements or milestones accomplished by the female astronauts. How did these achievements contribute to the broader narrative of space exploration?
Intersectionality:
- Consider the intersectionality of the female astronauts, taking into account factors such as race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic background. How did these intersecting identities shape their experiences?
Inspiration and Role Models:
- Discuss the potential impact of the book in inspiring readers, especially women and girls, to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Did the book portray the female astronauts as role models?
Ethical Dilemmas:
- Were there any ethical dilemmas faced by the female astronauts, either in their professional or personal lives? How did they navigate these challenges?
Reflection on Women in STEM:
- Consider the broader implications of the book in the context of women's participation in STEM fields. Did the book prompt any reflections on the current status of women in science and technology?

This is the first group of female astronauts by NASA, known as the "NASA 1978 Astronaut Class" or the "TFNG - Thirty-Five New Guys." This group included the first female astronauts selected by NASA. Here is a timeline of key events related to the inclusion of female astronauts:

1978:

January 16: NASA announces the selection of 35 new astronauts. This class becomes known as the "TFNG - Thirty-Five New Guys."
August 1978: Six women are selected as part of the 1978 astronaut class. They are:
- Shannon W. Lucid
- Margaret Rhea Seddon
- Kathryn D. Sullivan
- Judith A. Resnik
- Anna L. Fisher
- Sally K. Ride

These six women became the first female astronauts in NASA's history.

It's important to note that while Sally Ride is often recognized as the first American woman in space, she was not the only woman selected in the 1978 astronaut class. The inclusion of these women marked a significant milestone in space exploration and paved the way for more women to join NASA's astronaut corps in the following years.

Loren Grush is a science reporter and journalist known for her work in space and science communication. Here is a brief overview of her biography:

Early Life: Loren Grush was born on November 11, 1988, in New York City, USA. She developed a passion for space and science from a young age.

Education: Loren Grush attended the University of Maryland, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with a focus on Ecology and Evolution. Her educational background reflects her interest in science.

Career: Loren Grush began her career in science journalism and reporting. She gained recognition for her work covering space-related topics, including space exploration, astronomy, and technology.

She has contributed to various media outlets, and as of my last update, she was known for her work as a space reporter at The Verge, where she covered space missions, rocket launches, and other developments in the space industry. Loren has conducted interviews with astronauts, scientists, and experts in the field.

Loren Grush is noted for her ability to communicate complex scientific concepts in an accessible and engaging manner, making space exploration and science more understandable to the general public.

The Mercury 13 by Martha Ackmann; Lynn Sherr (Foreword by)
Call Number: 629.45 Ackmann
Profiles the thirteen women, all pilots who passed the same battery of tests as the Mercury 7 astronauts, who were chosen as America's first female astronauts but who were refused the opportunity to participate.
The New Guys by Meredith Bagby
Call Number: 629.45 Bagby
The never-before-told story of NASA's 1978 astronaut class, which included the first American women, the first African Americans, the first Asian American, and the first gay person to fly to space. With the exclusive participation of the astronauts who were there, this is the thrilling, behind-the-scenes saga of a new generation that transformed space exploration.
Promised the Moon by Stephanie Nolen
Call Number: 629.45 N71P 2002
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.
Right Stuff, Wrong Sex by Margaret A. Weitekamp
Call Number: 629.45 W43R 2004
On June 17, 1963, Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space. Unlike every previous milestone in the space race, however, this event did not spur NASA to put an American woman into orbit. There were suitable candidates: two years earlier thirteen female pilots recruited by the private Woman in Space program had passed a strenuous physical exam and were ready for another stage of astronaut testing. Yet American women did not escape Earth's orbit for another thirty years. In Right Stuff, Wrong Sex, Margaret A. Weitekamp shows how the Woman in Space program - conceived by Dr. William Randolph Lovelace and funded by world-famous pilot and businesswoman Jacqueline Cochran - challenged prevailing attitudes about women's roles and capabilities. In examining the experiences of the Fellow Lady Astronaut Trainees (as the candidates called themselves), this book documents the achievements and frustrated hopes of a remarkable group of women whose desire to serve their country fell victim to their country's suspicion of - and hostility to - such aspirations.
Women in Space by Karen Bush Gibson
Call Number: J 920.72 GIBSON
Women in Space profiles 23 pioneers, including Eileen Collins, the first woman to command the space shutt≤ Peggy Whitson, who logged more than a year in orbit aboard the International Space Station; and Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space; as well as astronauts from Japan, Canada, Italy, South Korea, France, and more. Readers will also learn about the Mercury 13, American women selected by NASA in the late 1950s to train for spaceflight. Though they matched and sometimes surpassed their male counterparts in performance, they were ultimately denied the opportunity to head out to the launching pad. Their story, and the stories of the pilots, physicists, and doctors who followed them, demonstrate the vital role women have played in the quest for scientific understanding.

Historical Fiction Book Club - Past Titles: "The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts" by Loren Grush

"The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts" by Loren Grush

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