Aviation pioneer Wally Funk dies at 87

newsJul 9, 2026421,238

Wally Funk, a North Texas aviation pioneer and member of the 1961 Mercury 13, has died at 87. In her 20s Funk became the first female civilian flight instructor at a U.S. military base and she was the youngest member of the Mercury 13, completing the same rigorous testing given to the Mercury 7 astronauts. She trained more than 3,000 pilots over her career and held roles including biologist, Explorers Club Fellow, and former Challenger Center board member. Sixty years after her Mercury 13 testing, Funk flew on Blue Origin’s NS-16 mission in 2021, becoming at the time the oldest person to fly to space and remaining the oldest woman to do so; she was the only one of the thirteen to ever reach space. Blue Origin said, "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Wally Funk. Wally was a pioneer in every sense of the word."

Peter Baker

@peterbakernyt.bsky.social

RIP Wally Funk. In her youth, she was an accomplished pilot and part of a group of women tested for space flight but never allowed to become an astronaut. Six decades later, she finally made it into space at age 82. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/09/s...

9914h ago

solecito25.bsky.social8

Fabulous woman. There was a superb documentary about all these women test pilots. They had such spirit and talent, passed all the tests the men did and then the president told them no. Travesty.

yn2usn.bsky.social6

Oh come on NYT! Sally Ride was “a passenger” ???!!!!! “The first American woman in space was Sally Ride, a passenger on a shuttle flight in 1983.”

singlecatlady23.bsky.social4

Thank you, Wally Funk! Signed: A Girl Computer Programmer Since 1982

okay7.bsky.social3

I see there appear to be several books written about her interesting life. It occurs to me that today would be a good day to read it and maybe, if someone has daughters or granddaughters, pass to book on to them afterward.

KUNA3

that's what happens when you're told you're not good enough for 60 years. still flew higher than most of us will ever get to.

MCMLXI2

Sorry to see her go Just read a great piece by Jerry Pournelle (𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙎𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙩, Destinies, Vol. 1 no. 3) where he talked about Danielle Goldwater, who should have been an astrononaut but missed the cut due to gender & wearing glasses One day we'll be back, man & woman alike

Quoting this

telescyote 🔭2

To be clear she sounds very cool and probably deserved better from NASA. But just because they sometimes add good people to the flights (prob for this exact reason of making it seem shitty to question their legitimacy) doesn't make the Blue Origin passengers real astronauts. Sorry

The New York Times

@nytimes.com

Breaking News: Wally Funk, the trailblazing female pilot who, at 82, became the oldest person to fly in space, has died at 87.

1314h ago

Quoting this

Olivia Waite41

I got the chance to speak to her once briefly, just a few years ago — she was a powerhouse and a delight. Ave atque vale.

E. Bottlaender7

She did, in fact, give up the Funk.

Loren Grush

@lorengrush.bsky.social

She was just the coolest. Loved getting to watch her chance to finally fly to space www.nytimes.com/2026/07/09/s...

295h ago

Failure To Launch Podcast

@failuretolaunch.bsky.social

RIP Wally Funk Last of the Mercury 13 and a true aviation legend

174h ago

NASAWATCH

@nasawatch.bsky.social

Wally Funk. Fly Wally, Fly 🚀 nasawatch.com/2026/07/09/w... Keith's note: According to Blue Origin: "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Wally Funk. Wally was a pioneer in every sense of the word."

115h ago

Amy McGrath

@smallmegapixel.bsky.social

"Wally, you're a girl. You can't do that." Funk was one of the 'Mercury 13,' the original group of U.S. female astronauts, who while technically qualified, never made the journey. But in 2021 she finally did - fulfilling a six decade dream of flying into space. 🚀

75h ago

Quoting this

Mx. Robbie Bobbie Berta Boeing33

A legend flown west. I used to see her as a baby pilot running around WAI conferences, and she was a true inspiration!

Flipboard Science Desk

@sciencedesk.flipboard.social.ap.brid.gy

Wally Funk has died at age 87. The aviation pioneer completed the program to become an astronaut in the early 1960s but was not allowed to go to space because she was a woman. She then became a groundbreaking flight instructor, training more than 3,000 pilots, and eventually went to space at age […]

13h ago

Mr. Fahrenheit

@mrfahrenheit.bsky.social

Wally Funk, Who Set an Age Record for Space Travel, Dies at 87 As a young woman in the 1960s, she wasn’t allowed to become a NASA astronaut. She finally realized her long-held dream of flying in space as an octogenarian.

55h ago

Colleen Wysocki

@zestnutrition.bsky.social

Only woman to pass alll the tests for space exploration in the 1960s- denied the opportunity to become an astronaut- finally got to go to space 5 years ago. She just passed away at 87. #RemarkableWomen www.nytimes.com/2026/07/09/s...

74h ago

SpacePolicyOnline

@spacepolicyonline.bsky.social

The New York Times reports that Wally Funk has passed away. www.nytimes.com/2026/07/09/s...

64h ago

Robert Pearlman

@collectspace.bsky.social

The only member of the "Mercury 13" to fly into space, Wally Funk died on Wednesday (July 8) at the age of 87.

22h ago

Schnitz

@daschnitz.bsky.social

RIP Wally Funk, Who Set an Age Record for Space Travel, Dies at 87 A truly amazing woman! www.nytimes.com/2026/07/09/s...

24h ago

Stephen C. Smith

@wordsmithfl.bsky.social

From @washingtonpost.com: Female aviation pioneer Wally Funk passes away at age 87. Comment: Ms. Funk was a professional aviator and flight instructor long before it was acceptable for women. The so-called Mercury 13 never existed. The term was made up by a documentary producer. wapo.st/4f1TggE

23h ago