13 American Dream In The Mercury 13

863 Words2 Pages

The Mercury 13: The Untold Story of Thirteen American Women and the Dream of Space Flight. By Martha Ackmann. Random House, 2003.239. Martha Ackmann tended to bring forward the true story about the first women with a flight dream. A dream to be the first women in outer space. There were hundreds of women who took numerous tests to qualify to travel to space, but only thirteen women passed those test with the required qualifications. Tests that the seven male astronauts had to undergo from NASA. Those thirteen women went above and beyond, sacrificing all to be able to become great pilots and travel to the outside world. The group of women were named several names but the one name that overlooked the others was “The Mercury 13”. Mercury 13 …show more content…

As for any pilot “…a great pilot wanted to go higher, faster, and farther…four words were considered a champions credo”(Ackmann, 6). Their desire even got them in to problems with their families because of the great ambition to reach their goal. They tried anything that was at the reach of their hands and headed to capital hill to talk to any one who would listen to them. They were not going to give up easily and Cobb, one of the ladies in the Mercury 13, proposed to them. “ The race for space will not be a short one- nor an easy one- but it is in which we must all participate. Let us go forward, then- there IS space for women”! Ackmann showing us the courage they had to continue a bumpy road that later could have a happy ending. Demonstrating this great sense of emotion, that there was nothing going to stop …show more content…

Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova was the first woman to reach space. To Jerrie Cobb it was devastating news, that because of their gender, they could not reach their dream of becoming the first women in space. “…the news that a female textile worker and amateur parachutist had beat her into space was demoralizing. Tereshkova was not even a pilot, and she certainly did not have an engineering degree or jet test pilot experience” (Ackmann, 177). Showing that anything is possible, Tereshkova was not as certified for the position as they were, but because of restrictions they were not able to continue with their plan to be on a flight. Being a woman was a qualification the space program did not want. Their desire was huge, “ I’ve fought the battle so long, I cant feeling a little regret… we could have done it. Now we’ve lost our only chance to have a first in space… I really mean it when I wish her well. I’m glad a women made it ” (Ackmann, 177). A disappointment to the women since they were close to what they wanted, but satisfied that at least a woman got the chance to

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