Wally Funk, a pioneering aviator who was denied the chance to become a NASA astronaut in the 1960s and later made history as the oldest woman to travel to space, has died at age 87. Funk passed away peacefully on Wednesday evening at her assisted living apartment in Grapevine, Texas, according to city councilwoman and close friend Duff O'Dell. O'Dell, who described herself as Funk's caregiver, said she was by her side. Funk had recently experienced a couple of falls and developed a leg infection. "It took its toll," O'Dell told the Associated Press.
Legacy in Grapevine and Aviation
The city of Grapevine posted on Facebook: "Wally was a beloved Grapevine resident whose extraordinary accomplishments and generous spirit left an enduring legacy." The city further noted that Funk dedicated more than seven decades to aviation, becoming one of the world's most accomplished female pilots and fulfilling her lifelong dream of traveling to space. Born on 1 February 1939, Funk earned her flying license at Stephens College in Missouri and studied education at Oklahoma State University, primarily because it had an aviation team called the Flying Aggies. "As a Flying Aggie, I could do all the manoeuvres as well as the boys, if not better," she told the Guardian in 2019. She later became the only female flight instructor at a US military base.
Mercury 13 and Denied NASA Opportunity
In 1961, Funk volunteered for NASA's Women in Space program, a privately funded effort to test whether top female pilots could become astronauts. She was one of 13 women—known as the Mercury 13—who underwent the same rigorous physical and psychological tests as NASA's male astronaut corps. Funk became the youngest graduate of the program and was told she "had done better and completed the work faster than any of the guys," as she recalled in a promotional video for her later Blue Origin flight. She spent 10 hours and 35 minutes in a sensory deprivation tank during one test, outperforming astronaut John Glenn. However, the program was canceled after doubts about women's participation, with Glenn stating that including women "may be undesirable." Instead, NASA selected the all-male Mercury Seven, including Alan Shepard and John Glenn. Funk made four subsequent attempts to join NASA but was rejected because she lacked an engineering degree. NASA did not admit female astronauts until 1978, when Funk was 39.
Continued Aviation Career
Undeterred, Funk continued flying. She owned a flight school in Taos, New Mexico, served as the first female inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration, and later worked for the National Transportation Safety Board. She logged over 19,600 flying hours and taught more than 3,000 people to fly. "Aviation has been my whole life," Funk wrote in her 2020 memoir. "I eat it, and I breathe it." In a 2019 Guardian interview, she said she still taught flying every Saturday and declared, "I'll be flying till I die."
Historic Blue Origin Flight
In July 2021, at age 82, Funk finally reached space aboard Amazon founder Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin rocket, becoming the oldest person to launch into space at the time. The record was later broken by actor William Shatner and Ed Dwight, both 90, but Funk remains the oldest woman to have flown to space. Bezos selected Funk as an "honored guest" for the 11-minute suborbital flight. During a post-flight news conference, Funk said, "I've been waiting a long time to finally get it up there... I want to go again, fast. I loved every minute of it. I just wish it had been longer."
Tributes and Impact
O'Dell stated: "Wally Funk's unwavering determination proves that dreams have no expiration date. Her courage, resilience, and groundbreaking achievements continue to inspire young people—especially girls—to pursue careers in science, aviation, and space exploration." NASA administrator Jared Isaacman posted on X: "Wally Funk never stopped believing that one day she would reach space. Her passion for flight, perseverance, and love of exploration will continue to inspire generations of Americans. Godspeed, Wally." Blue Origin also paid tribute, calling her "a pioneer in every sense of the word" and noting that she was the only Mercury 13 member to ever reach space. "It was a moment six decades in the making. We were humbled to be part of her journey. Her story will continue to inspire generations of future explorers. Fly, Wally, fly."
