Wally Funk, the oldest woman to launch into space, dies at 87
The oldest woman to launch into space has died.
A pioneering American aviator who fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut at the age of 82, Wally Funk died of natural causes at her home late on Wednesday, July 8, according to the city of Grapevine, Texas. She was 87.
"Wally Funk's unwavering determination proves that dreams have no expiration date," Grapevine City Councilwoman Duff O'Dell said in a statement. "Her courage, resilience, and groundbreaking achievements continue to inspire young people - especially girls - to pursue careers in science, aviation, and space exploration."
Funk became the oldest person ever to launch into space in 2021 when she joined the crew of Blue Origin's New Shepard NS-16 mission. Also on board were Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos, his brother Mark Bezos and Dutch space tourist Oliver Daemen.
Her record was later broken when "Star Trek" actor William Shatner and Ed Dwight, the nation's first Black astronaut candidate, also launched with Blue Origin. Both were both 90.
By the time Funk launched into space, she had spent her life preparing for the adventure. Funk was one of the Mercury 13, a group of women who successfully passed the same rigorous physiological exams as NASA astronauts in the early 1960s. According to Grapevine, Funk ranked among the top performers in the program and surpassed many male counterparts on certain tests. But because she grew up in an era when NASA did not accept women as astronauts, Funk didn't make it to space.
Still, Funk lived much of her life in the sky. She became the first female flight instructor at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Over the course of her career, she trained over 3,000 pilots and logged over 30,000 hours of flight time.
Funk also served as an airline transport pilot, an international aviation expert and the first female inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration.
Grapevine spokesperson Mona Quintanilla said Funk had lived in the city of about 50,000 for 12 years. She was the talk of the town. On her return from space in 2021, the city organized a parade for her.
Bezos remembers her role aboard the New Shepard mission.
"Wally Funk waited 60 years to get to space, and no one ever earned it more. She trained with the Mercury 13 in 1961, out-tested the men, and was told no anyway," the Amazon founder turned space entrepreneur said in a statement. "Five years ago this month, I had the honor of flying with her on New Shepard's first crewed flight. At 82, she was fearless, joyful, and asking to go again before we'd even landed."
Blue Origin added: "Her story will continue to inspire generations of future explorers."
In her own words, Funk said simply of her mission: "I loved it … I want to go again, fast."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Wally Funk, the oldest woman to launch into space, dies at 87
Reporting by Michael Loria, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
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This story was originally published July 9, 2026 at 8:50 PM.