Eileen Collins and Spacewoman, a documentary about breaking glass ceilings

Eileen Collins knew she wanted to be an astronaut at nine years old. It didn't matter that no astronauts were women at the time. She determined she would be a "lady astronaut." Collins went on to become an accomplished military pilot and the first woman to pilot the space shuttle in 1995, and the first woman space shuttle commander in 1999. Collins storied career included commanding Discovery on NASA's "Return to Flight" mission in 2005, where she performed a historic rendezvous pitch maneuver. 

By Robert Markowitz - Great Images in NASA (archive)
Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6449908

Collin's book, Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars: The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission, which chronicled her journey to NASA and space, was released in 2021. In 2024, director Hannah Berryman, alongside Eileen Collins and co-writer Jonathon H.Ward, created the documentary Spacewoman. The documentary has enjoyed a limited release in the UK and was screened at the DOC NYC film festival. It is expected to be released for general viewing in 2026. 

In a BBC interview in October, Collins spoke about her years breaking glass ceilings to become a space shuttle pilot and commander. She notes the pressure and importance she felt being the first woman, knowing she was creating a path for others to follow.

"As the first woman to pilot the Space Shuttle, I worked very hard at that because I didn't want people to say, 'Oh look, the woman has made a mistake'. Because it wasn't just about me, it was about the women to follow me," she says. "And I wanted there to be a reputation for women pilots that was: 'Hey, they're really good'."

Read the rest of Collins'  thoughts from the BBC interview at the BBC website. View the trailer for Spacewoman on YouTube. And if you can't wait until the release in 2026, you can always read the book first! Find out more at eileencollins.com. 

8 Summer Reads about Women in Astronomy

By Kimberly Mitchell

For those hot summer days, when all we really need is a good book and a cool drink, I wanted to compile a list of recent books written by women about women in astronomy and physics. 

That was a tougher task than I imagined. I came away convinced we need more books about women in astronomy and physics written by women. 

Nonetheless, I found 8 books that roughly matched the criteria. Some are written about the universe and our history exploring it, but we will count them. Women are part of that history, and we hope, a much larger part of the future of exploration.

So if you’re searching for some summer reads, here are a few to consider. 

Princeton University Press

The Sky Is For Everyone: Women Astronomers In Their Own Words edited by Virginia Trimble and David A. Weintraub. An anthology of the voices and stories of women astronomers from 1960 to 2022 in their pursuit of equality and the stars. Available at Princeton University Press.

Simon & Schuster

The Six: The Untold Story of America’s First Women Astronauts by Loren Grush. Space reporter Loren Grush details the lives of the first six female astronauts selected by NASA in 1978. Available at Simon & Schuster and other book retailers. 

HarperCollins

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly. You’ve seen the movie, but did you read the book? Shetterly expertly weaves the stories of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson—three Black women mathematicians at NASA whose work helped power the space race. Available at HarperCollins and other book retailers. 

Simon & Schuster

Escaping Gravity: My Quest to Transform NASA and Launch a New Space Age by Lori Garver. Former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver writes about her time as second-in-command at NASA and working between politics and the private space sector. Available at Simon & Schuster.

Simon & Schuster

The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking) by Katie Mack. Dr. Katie Mack takes readers through different scenarios of the end of the universe and how these theories impact our lives now, in this highly-acclaimed and fun read. Available at astrokatie.com and Simon & Schuster.

HarperCollins

The Possibility of Life: Science, Imagination, and Our Quest for Kinship in the Cosmos—Exploring the Fascinating History of Our Universe and the Possibility of Life Beyond Our Planet by Jaime Green. Science writer Jaime Green takes readers on a broad journey through the history of searching for and imagining life beyond Earth, drawing on research, history, humor, and popular science fiction culture. Order a signed copy from River Bend Bookshop or purchase from HarperCollins.

Sourcebooks

The Last Stargazers by Emily Levesque. Astronomer Emily Levesque takes readers behind the scenes to discover some of the most powerful telescopes on Earth and how we use them to peer into our past and future. Available at thelaststargazers.com or Sourcebooks.

Penguin Random House

The Human Cosmos, Civilization, and the Stars by Jo Marchant. Journalist Jo Marchant delves into the history of civilization and science and how it connects to our relationship with the universe. Available at Penguin Random House and jomarchant.com. 

Enjoy these last hot days of summer with a good book!