logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2022
35m 29s

Rocket women: How a secret program paved...

American Public Media
About this episode

Get ready for an out-of-this-world episode! Joy and co-host Elsa are trapped in a black hole with a baby elephant and a mountain of old junk! 

They’ll explore the history of a super secret astronaut testing program for women called the “Fellow Lady Astronaut Trainees.” This group of bold, highly-trained pilots spent years making a case for why women are just as qualified to become astronauts as men! 

Plus, the dynamic duo digs into the history of the Space Race (spoiler: it’s not an astronaut marathon) and tries to figure out a new First Things First. It’s famous firsts in women’s history: first female millionaire, first woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize and first woman to reach the peak of Mount Everest!

This episode was sponsored by:

Up next
Jun 10
Where did school uniforms come from?
Our world is filled with uniforms. From mail carriers, to sports teams to students! This week, Joy, cohost Hannah and Articles of Interest’s Avery Trufelman trace the history of school uniforms, from their start 800 years ago in England, to their popularization in America by immi ... Show More
32m 25s
Jun 11
A big update about Forever Ago and the Brains On Universe
We're moving the Brains On Universe Headquarters, and that means we have to stop putting out new episodes until we get settled. We know: not cool. But, our new home is going to be bigger and better and the absolute BEST. We can't wait until it's ready for you to visit.In the mean ... Show More
2m 56s
Jun 4
Josephine Baker: Diva and WWII spy!
Joy and co-host Obasi are so obsessed with historical spycraft that they become top secret spies! Their mission, should they choose to accept it: investigate the life of superstar Josephine Baker.Josephine danced and sang on the biggest stages of Europe in 1920s and 30s — and fel ... Show More
31m 41s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2021
S2E7: No Person Left Behind
Space travel represents the future, and women and people of color are fighting to be a part of it. In this episode, Krys honors the real, groundbreaking pioneers that inspired her character: Wally Funk, an alum of the first program designed to train female astronauts; Joan Higgin ... Show More
27m 36s
Mar 2019
XX Factor | The Woman Who Put Man on the Moon | S13-E1
Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are preparing to land on the Moon. The whole world is watching live on television. But something is very wrong, their warning alarms are flashing and they don't know what it is. There’s only one woman who can fix it: MIT software engineer ... Show More
40m 33s
Jan 2020
Scientist, Astronaut, Explorer | Kathryn Sullivan
Dr. Kathryn Sullivan is a distinguished scientist, astronaut, leader and teacher. She was one of the first six women to join the NASA astronaut corps in 1978 and is the first American woman to walk in space. Sullivan flew on three space shuttle missions during her 15-year NASA te ... Show More
1h 21m
Jul 2019
The Glass Stratosphere
What if women had been among the first to head to the moon? A NASA physician thought that wasn't such a far fetched idea back in the 1960s. He developed the physical and psychological tests used to select NASA's first male astronauts, and ran those same test on women, who thought ... Show More
28m 41s
Apr 2020
The Space Race
Join host Greg Jenner as he skyrockets back to the 20th century for a homeschool history lesson on the space race. From ancient Assyrian astrology to modern spacecraft, we explore how superpowers Russia (Team USSR) and America (Team USA) raced each other into space, aiming to be ... Show More
14m 56s
Sep 2023
The Infinite Monkey’s Guide To... Space Travel
Astronauts and explorers including Brian Blessed, Sir Patrick Stewart, Nicole Stott and Charlie Duke reveal the wonders, and challenges, of traveling into space.Brian Cox and Robin Ince have delved into the Monkey Cage back catalogue to hear from astronauts and some very well kno ... Show More
20m 40s
Sep 2023
Floating, Music and Tortillas
Join Elliot and his friends on a space adventure in this episode of Stories for Kids! Elliot wants to become an astronaut and be just like his hero, Ellen Ochoa the first Hispanic woman to journey into space. In this episode, you can learn about important skills such as teamwork ... Show More
8m 16s
Apr 2021
The equal rights stuff
In 1976, Nasa launched a campaign to help recruit the next generation of Astronauts. It was fronted by African-American actress Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek’s Lt. Uhura, as part of an effort to ensure the astronaut corps represented the diversity of the United States. When they we ... Show More
26m 58s
Dec 2023
Hidden No More: A Conversation with Space Suit Technician Sharon McDougle
Who dresses the astronauts for flight? Why are the suits orange? And how are they cared for? Sharon Caples McDougle joins us to talk about her work as a modern day hidden figure, a space suit technician responsible for processing the orange launch and re-entry pressure suit assem ... Show More
46m 53s