Loren Grush, a space reporter at Bloomberg and author of "The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts," dives into the groundbreaking stories of NASA's early female astronauts. She shares how Sally Ride and her peers navigated a male-dominated space program, their struggles for representation, and how their legacies influence today's space exploration. The conversation touches on the challenges faced post-Challenger disaster, ongoing diversity efforts in NASA, and how these pioneers paved the way for future generations in STEM.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Astronaut Selection
NASA's astronaut selection process involved rigorous tests and interviews.
Finalists faced physicals, psychological evaluations, and a crucial interview with the selection committee.
insights INSIGHT
Early Diversity Efforts
NASA's diversity push predates modern DEI discussions.
The inclusion of women astronauts was driven by a sense that their absence was unusual.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Navigating Sexism
The women astronauts faced a boys' club culture at NASA, encountering sexism and outdated views.
They navigated these challenges delicately to avoid jeopardizing women's inclusion in the program.
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The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts
Loren Grush
The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts tells the story of Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon, who were selected by NASA in 1978. The book explores their rigorous training, media scrutiny, and contributions to the space program, including the tragic loss of Judy Resnik in the Challenger disaster. Despite facing challenges, these women made significant marks in space exploration.
How to Change
The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be
Katy Milkman
In this ground-breaking book, Katy Milkman reveals a proven path to help readers move from where they are to where they want to be. Drawing on her original research and the work of her world-renowned scientific collaborators, Milkman shares strategic methods for identifying and overcoming common barriers to change, such as impulsivity, procrastination, and forgetfulness. The book offers innovative approaches like 'temptation bundling,' using timely reminders, and creating 'set-it-and-forget-it systems' to make change more achievable. It emphasizes the importance of tailoring solutions to specific roadblocks and using science to stack the deck in favor of successful change.
The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts, from longtime space reporter and Verge alum Loren Grush, is out today.
It’s been 40 years since Sally Ride became the first American woman in space — but she was far from the last. In the early 1980s six women — Sally Ride, Judy Resnick, Kathy Sullivan, Anna Fisher, Rhea Seddon, and Shannon Lucid — would get a chance to fly a mission on one of the space shuttles… including, unfortunately, the ill-fated 1986 Challenger launch.
The story of the six may be history, but it’s far from ancient, and there’s a lot going on here that ties directly to today. And of course, what’s an astronaut story without some high-flying hijinks in it? Listen to the end for Loren’s favorite.
Decoder with Nilay Patel 
