Overview

Geraldyn "Jerrie" Cobb (March 5, 1931 – March 18, 2019) was an American aviator known for setting multiple flying records and for her role in the group of women who underwent astronaut medical screening in the early 1960s. Cobb attracted national attention when she completed the demanding battery of tests used to evaluate the original U.S. astronaut candidates and publicly advocated for the inclusion of qualified women in the space program.

Aviation career and achievements

Cobb learned to fly at a young age and built a career in civil aviation at a time when flying was still a male-dominated field. Over the 1950s and early 1960s she established several national and international aviation records for distance, speed and long-distance solo flights. Beyond record flights, she worked as a pilot, flight instructor and airshow performer, helping to popularize aviation among new audiences.

Mercury 13 and astronaut testing

In the early 1960s Cobb was selected to take part in privately organized astronaut medical screening that mirrored the examinations given to the original Mercury Seven astronauts. The group of women who participated came to be informally known as the "Mercury 13"; Cobb was one of the most prominent members. Although their tests demonstrated that some women met or exceeded the same physical and psychological standards as male astronaut candidates, NASA did not select women for the early astronaut corps. Cobb then became an outspoken advocate for gender inclusion in spaceflight, publicly urging Congress and agency officials to consider qualified female candidates.

Later life and legacy

After her campaign to join the astronaut program, Cobb continued to fly, teach and promote aviation. Her role in the early testing and her advocacy efforts have been cited in later discussions about women in aerospace and the eventual selection of female astronauts. She died at her home in Florida on March 18, 2019, at age 88.

Notable facts

  • Cobb was part of the group of women who underwent the same physiological screening used for initial U.S. astronaut candidates; this group is commonly called the Mercury 13.
  • Her public testimony and advocacy helped raise awareness of barriers facing women pursuing careers in spaceflight.
  • Her aviation records and public profile made her one of the best-known women pilots of her generation.

Jerrie Cobb's life bridged competitive aviation and the early space era; her experience remains a reference point in histories of women in flight and the long struggle to open astronaut roles to all qualified candidates.