This week on The Cosmic Companion, we are Celebrating Diversity in Space Exploration, looking at the history of inclusion in human explorations beyond our world — past, present, and future. Later in the show, we’ll be talking with Meredith Bagby, author of The New Guys, a look at NASA’s groundbreaking astronaut class of 1978.

The history of space exploration has been marked by numerous milestones, not only in terms of scientific and technological achievements but also in the inclusion and diversity of those who explore beyond our home world. Over the decades, space exploration has slowly evolved to include women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals, paving the way for greater representation in the future.

NASA’s original class of astronauts from 1959, the Mercury Seven, were all Caucasian male jet pilots — not exactly representative of a melting pot of society. However, less well-known were the Mercury 13, a group of 13 women who underwent astronaut training in the early 1960s. Despite performing as well, if not better, than men at many rigorous physiological tests, NASA did not recognize these women as official astronaut trainees. Opposed by many politicians and media alike, no member of the Mercury 13 flew to space for 60 years until Wally Funk in 2021...

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