Kathryn Thornton, a trailblazing astronaut from Alabama, made significant contributions to space exploration during the 1980s and 1990s. As one of the first female astronauts, she performed key spacewalks, notably assisting in the repair of the Hubble Space Telescope. Her journey from a working-class background to prestigious space missions highlights the evolving landscape of NASA, which now champions diversity. Reflecting on contemporary issues in space exploration, Thornton expresses concern over the influence of billionaires like Elon Musk and political attacks on science in the U.S. Her legacy continues to inspire future generations, evidenced by her daughter's achievements in astrophysics.
You train in the water tank and other simulators, but you find out when you first go out that all simulators lie to you in one way or another.
I think it's stunning how far we've come in terms of diversity in space exploration, yet there are still significant challenges ahead.
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