4 Women Astronauts Talk About Space Exploration

By Julie Bain

From Reader's Digest

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Photographed by Tom Hussey

Way, way beyond the glass ceiling: Barbara Morgan, Sunita Williams, Pamela Melory, and Peggy Whitson in the shuttle simulator, Johnson Space Center, Houston

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Morgan at the shuttle computer while docked with the space station.

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Williams on the treadmill in the space station.

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Williams floating in space.

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Melroy greets Whitson on arrival at the space station

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Photographed by Tom Hussey

Way, way beyond the glass ceiling: Barbara Morgan, Sunita Williams, Pamela Melory, and Peggy Whitson in the shuttle simulator, Johnson Space Center, Houston

Imagine being in a confined space for six months with no easy means of escape and only a cosmonaut or two to keep you company. Peggy Whitson did it—twice, the second time as the first woman commander. The former Iowa farm girl racked up 377 days in space on her two missions, more than any other U.S. astronaut. Her space walks totaled nearly 40 hours, more than any other woman astronaut. She's now a walking laboratory for the long-term effects of zero gravity (zero-g) on the human body. And hers, by the way, is ripped like an Olympic athlete's.

Getting used to zero-g: "Finesse is a lot more important than strength. So is your ability to think in 3-D and intuit how to move objects in a different way than on earth. The second time I went to the station, it felt like coming home. I adapted and got comfortable much quicker."

The best zero-g side effect: "It's a nice plus that without the effects of gravity, everything is lifted while you're up there, so you look younger!"

Staying in shape: "With no gravity for resistance, muscles and bones deteriorate quickly up there, so every day we do an hour of cardio on a specially designed cycle or treadmill and an hour of resistance training. You need strength for space walks, as every motion works against the pressure of the space suits we wear, and it's very fatiguing. Exercising always made me feel more positive and upbeat afterward too."

Poetic moment: "As we orbited every 90 minutes, the view of the earth's curvature was incredible. You could see the layers of atmosphere extend beyond the surface to meet with the blackness of space beyond. It seemed impossibly thin, yet it carried all the shades of blue: closest to the planet a glowing blue, like sunlit water over white sand, extending to the deepest blue-purple mixture that holds the blackness at bay."

Returning to gravity: "At first, being back on earth is not pleasant. My agility and quick motions, like playing basketball and the timing to dribble and do a layup, were severely hindered. But I had my physical fitness assessment about a month after my return, and I'm back to preflight norm, which I'm really happy about."

Inspiration: "Exploration is a very important part of who we are, and if we want to literally expand our horizons, we have to keep doing it. Construction of the International Space Station shows we can expand those horizons culturally as well."

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