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Astronaut Karen Nyburg looks into a machine while aboard the International Space Station
Two women wearing hard hats give a presentation
A group of women at JPL featuring Women at NASA

Women at NASA

Women at NASA are making history at every day. Celebrate our past and look to our future as we continue to drive innovation and push the envelope.

Explore the Gallery about Women at NASA

Women at NASA Articles

Laboratory Director Tawnya Plummer Laughinghouse
3 min read

“When I transitioned from Spelman to Georgia Tech, it was probably the first time in my life that I had…

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Math, Mentorship, Motherhood: Behind the Scenes with NASA Engineers
5 min read

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on February 22, 2024. Engineering is a huge field with endless applications. From…

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Kathryn Sullivan: The First American Woman to Walk in Space
8 min read

Forty years ago, in October 1984, Kathryn D. Sullivan became the first American woman to walk in space. But being the…

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NASA Project Manager Honors Mother’s Impact
2 min read

Lee esta historia en Español aquí. Patricia Ortiz is proud to be a first-generation Salvadoran American. Her mother, born and…

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Honoring Hidden Figures
1 min read

Joylette Hylick, left, and Katherine Moore, right, accept the Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of their mother, Katherine Johnson, during…

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NASA’s Hidden Figures Honored with Congressional Gold Medals
4 min read

A simple turn of phrase was all it took for U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of Katherine Johnson’s home state…

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Women in STEM Careers

Women have always played a critical role in NASA’s history. From the first black female engineer to the first female astronaut—many of our female pioneers have been the “first” to achieve something monumental in their fields. Today, the women of NASA continue to lead and inspire in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and truly make an impact on society.

Find Out More About Women in STEM at NASA about Women in STEM Careers
Lyndsey McMillon-Brown at NASA’s Glenn Research Center is developing a new type of solar cell that uses innovative materials and offer many advantages over the current state-of-the-art-technology.

Women at NASA History

Meet some of NASA's trailblazers who helped forge a path for women at NASA.

Annie Easley sits at a desk in her office in 1981

Annie Easley

Excerpt of the edited oral history transcript of a human computer and computer programmer at NASA’s Glenn Research Center.

Katherine Johnson at work, 1962

Katherine Johnson

Katherine Johnson was a pioneer for women everywhere. Learn more about her journey to NASA and her contributions to the agency.

Sally Ride on the flight deck of Challenger.

Former Astronaut Sally Ride

Dr. Ride was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in January 1978. Sally Ride was the first American woman to fly in space.

Astronaut Mae Jemison aboard the space shuttle

Former Astronaut Mae Jemison

Dr. Jemison applied and was selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate in 1987 and became the first African American woman in space.

Astronaut Shannon Lucid

Former Astronaut Shannon Lucid

Dr. Lucid became an astronaut in August 1979 and qualified for assignment as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle. Dr. Lucid currently holds the U.S. single-mission spaceflight endurance record on the Russian Space Station Mir.

Astronaut Eileen Collins wearing her orange flight suit

Former Astronaut Eileen Collins

Eileen Collins was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1990. Collins has the distinction of being the first female pilot and the first female commander in shuttle history.