Makers Women In Space Essay

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The beginnings of the exploration of outer space did not include women as being part of the plan. Like many fields of work in the history of the United States, women had to break down barriers and push their way into the space program. Makers: Women in Space, highlights the origins of women making their debut at NASA, and how women have become some of the most influential astronauts and scientists in American history. This film is ultimately a great resource that argues the case that women are as competent as astronauts as men are, because it outlines women’s role in the history of space and because it shows the success women had upon being allowed to enter the field. Firstly, Makers: Women in Space shows that women are However, as the years progressed, women became more eager to collaborate with NASA and become a part of the space program that was revolutionizing America. Women were able to start out working for NASA in the computer department or as engineers; however, this was not enough for them. They wanted to be the actual astronauts, rather than work behind the scenes, figuring out the logistics for the astronauts. The problem was that President Eisenhower mandated that any astronaut had to firstly be a military pilot, and women were not allowed to be pilots, therefore making their goal impossible to achieve (Makers: Women in Space). But, as the film shows, women did not take no for an answer, and proceeded to take their case to Congress. As NASA further developed the space program, women were beginning to be considered due to the growing movement created to plead their case. Essentially, the original reason women were thought of as potential candidates was because they were smaller in size and, according to preliminary tests, performed better in space-like simulators. Early results showed that women were able to stay in isolation longer than men, because they did not need full awareness of all their senses to function (Makers: Several testimonies from some of the first female astronauts are showcased. One of these women, Shannon Lucid, explains in her interview the excitement that surrounded being chosen, by describing how she was discouraged as a child and was told that “[she would] never be able to do anything because [she was] a girl” (Makers: Women in Space). This quotation clearly shows how phenomenal it is that after years of trying, women were finally allowed to be astronauts, and they would soon be able to prove how successful they could be. Besides Lucid, another influential female astronaut, Sally Ride, who was the first woman in space, also speaks in the film saying how she knew she needed to perform perfectly in space because she would set the precedent as to if women were able to succeed in space (Makers: Women in Space). She, of course, did well, and proved to the world that women were just as capable of being in space as men were. Finally, the last notable female astronaut discussed is Eileen Collins, who had an extensive career. Her list of achievements contains being the first female pilot and commander for NASA (Makers: Women in Space). By bringing up these women that often do not get recognition, this film is able to show that the world’s preliminary concerns that women would not be capable of

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