Rhea Seddon, Kathy Sullivan, and Anna Fisher share their stories as some of the first American women astronauts.

To mark the 45th anniversary of NASA’s historic 1978 astronaut candidate class, which included the first six women candidates amongst its “Thirty-Five New Guys,” the Museum’s 2023 John H. Glenn Lecture in Space History celebrated those women.

Three women from the class of 1978 as they share their stories as some of the first American women astronauts:

  • Dr. Anna Fisher: Astronaut, chemist, and physician who served as a mission specialist on STS-51A aboard Space Shuttle Discovery.
  • Dr. Rhea Seddon: Astronaut and physician who was a mission specialist on STS-51D and STS-40 and payload commander on STS-58.
  • Kathryn Sullivan, PhD: Astronaut, geologist, and oceanographer who became the first American woman to perform an EVA on STS-41-G, and also went to space on STS-31 and STS-45.

The John H. Glenn Lecture in Space History is sponsored by Boeing.

Created:

September 06, 2023

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Courtesy of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum

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