On October 29, 1998, John Glenn went up in space--again. It was another historic moment in space history, and every moment is space history should be celebrated, as far as I'm concerned. But for me, it's still bittersweet, and that's all because I now know Jerrie Cobb.
I know that Jerrie Cobb wanted to be there, in his place. There was a huge rally in support of giving her a shot at it, many decades after she first yearned to reach the stars. But I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Still, she contributed a great thing to our space history. She challenged the status quo, she pushed the boundaries, she asked the tough questions. And even though it wasn't her, eventually, women got there, too.
So here's to you, Jerrie Cobb. And Sally Ride, and Eileen Collins, and all the rest of the brave women who continually reach for the stars.
I know that Jerrie Cobb wanted to be there, in his place. There was a huge rally in support of giving her a shot at it, many decades after she first yearned to reach the stars. But I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Still, she contributed a great thing to our space history. She challenged the status quo, she pushed the boundaries, she asked the tough questions. And even though it wasn't her, eventually, women got there, too.
So here's to you, Jerrie Cobb. And Sally Ride, and Eileen Collins, and all the rest of the brave women who continually reach for the stars.
