Wally Funk, aviation pioneer and oldest woman in space, dies at 87

Wally Funk, a trailblazing pilot who was denied a NASA career in the 1960s but later flew to space on Blue Origin, has died at 87.

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Wally Funk, a pioneering aviator who was denied the chance to become a NASA astronaut in the 1960s but later made history as the oldest woman to travel to space, died on July 8, 2026, at the age of 87. She passed away peacefully at her apartment in an assisted living facility in Grapevine, Texas, according to close friend and city councilwoman Duff O’Dell, who was by her side.

Funk had experienced recent falls and a leg infection, which O’Dell said “took its toll.” The cause of death was not specified.

Funk first gained fame as one of the “Mercury 13” women who underwent the same rigorous testing as NASA’s male astronauts in the early 1960s. Despite passing the tests, she and her peers were barred from the astronaut corps because of their gender. Undeterred, Funk became a flight instructor and FAA safety inspector, amassing over 19,000 flight hours.

Her dream of spaceflight was realized in July 2021, when she flew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket, becoming the oldest person ever to reach space at 82 years old. The flight lasted about 10 minutes and reached an altitude of 107 kilometers.

Funk’s legacy as a trailblazer for women in aviation and space exploration is widely celebrated. Her death marks the end of an era for the Mercury 13, a group that challenged gender norms in the space race.