Wally Funk obituary

A pioneering American pilot who was the oldest woman to fly into space.

Published 15 July 2026 108 words
SCIENCE A1
Wally Funk obituary

Wally Funk was a special woman who loved flying. She was a pioneer for women in aviation for many years. She started flying when she was young and became a flight instructor. She also worked for important aviation groups.

Wally always wanted to be an astronaut. In 1960, she joined a special program with other women who trained like male astronauts. She was very good at the tests. However, Nasa did not send women into space then.

Many years later, in 2021, Wally finally went to space. She flew with Jeff Bezos on a rocket. She was 82 years old. This made her the oldest woman to fly in space. She loved her trip and wanted to go again.

Vocabulary

pioneer — A person who is one of the first to do something new.
aviation — Flying aircraft like planes and rockets.
instructor — Someone who teaches a skill, like flying.
astronaut — A person who travels in space.
program — A plan or series of activities to achieve something.

Discussion Questions

  1. What did Wally Funk love to do?
  2. Why could Wally Funk not go to space for a long time?
  3. How old was Wally Funk when she went to space for the first time?

Based on an article from The Guardian.

Read the original article