Space technology has thrived on the ingenuity of countless individuals, but for many years, women’s contributions remained overlooked or underrecognized. From early research roles hidden behind laboratory doors to remarkable achievements aboard space stations, women have proven integral to every facet of human exploration. Despite these milestones, the reality is that women still account for only a fraction of the industry’s leadership and technical positions. As new initiatives and programs take shape, organizations like the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) are pushing for equal opportunities, increased representation, and greater visibility for women in space.
For International Women’s Day, we’re commemorating the role women have played in pushing the boundaries of space tech, how they continue to contribute to the sector, and the initiatives that are helping to build a more accessible and equal landscape for women and girls in STEM, space tech, and beyond.
A History of Women in Space
Foundations of an Era
Behind the scenes in the 1940s and 1950s, women like Kitty O’Brien Joyner worked at NASA’s predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), and later at NASA, investigating supersonic flight in wind tunnels. Edith Gustan also contributed vital research on closed ecological life-support systems at Boeing. Far from the spotlight, they laid the groundwork for what would become modern space programs.
Katherine Johnson drew wide recognition for her mathematics expertise at NASA. In the run-up to John Glenn’s orbital Friendship 7 mission, Glenn insisted that engineers “get the girl” (Johnson) to confirm the IBM computer’s calculations. “If she says they’re good, then I’m ready to go,” Johnson recalled him saying (NASA archives). She later helped calculate Apollo 11’s trajectory and retired after 33 years of groundbreaking service.
Their roles, overshadowed at times, laid the groundwork not only for how NASA missions would be shaped but for more visible female figures who followed.
Valentina Tereshkova’s First Flight and Beyond
The first woman to leave Earth’s atmosphere was Valentina Tereshkova in 1963. Selected from over 400 applicants, the 26-year-old Soviet cosmonaut flew aboard Vostok 6. She had no formal pilot training but was an accomplished parachutist with 126 jumps. Tereshkova’s success opened doors for female spaceflight candidates worldwide, although it took nearly two decades before a second woman, Svetlana Savitskaya, would travel to space and perform the first female spacewalk in 1984.
Milestones on the Station
Astronaut Peggy Whitson became the first woman to command the International Space Station (ISS) in 2008. A biochemist by training, she later set records for the most cumulative time in space by an American at 665 days and became the oldest woman to fly to space at age 57.
NASA astronaut Sunita Williams captured headlines in 2007 during Expedition 15 when she became the first person to run a marathon in space. She officially registered for the Boston Marathon and logged 26 miles in 4 hours and 26 minutes on the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT) inside the station’s Tranquility node.
In 2010, four women—NASA astronauts Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger, Stephanie Wilson, Tracy Caldwell Dyson, and Japan’s Naoko Yamazaki—served aboard the ISS simultaneously, marking the highest number of female ISS crew members at one time.
NASA astronaut Kate Rubins conducted the first DNA sequencing experiment in space in 2016, during Expedition 48. Over 115 days, she analyzed samples from a mouse, a virus, and bacteria using a portable device called MinION. “With a way to sequence DNA in space, astronauts could diagnose an illness, or identify microbes growing in the International Space Station and determine whether or not they represent a health threat,” NASA officials said in a statement, noting that such capabilities will be essential for future missions to Mars or elsewhere.
The Path Forward: Findings from the UNOOSA Report
Despite the accomplishments of extraordinary women, a gap remains. UNOOSA’s recent Space4Women study surveyed 53 space agencies and related institutions, revealing that women comprise only 30% of the space workforce worldwide. Representation shrinks at higher levels, with women occupying less than a quarter of management and leadership positions.
UNOOSA’s report emphasizes several factors that limit female participation, including wage inequities, gender stereotypes that begin in early education, and a lack of mentorship programs. The report also highlights that the disparity is more severe in highly technical areas such as engineering and astronautics, where women continue to face steep challenges in recruitment and promotion.
To address these challenges head-on, UNOOSA released the Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit for the Space Sector to serve as a practical guide for organizations aiming to close the gender gap. Developed in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency and other global experts, the toolkit outlines four key measures to advance gender equality:
1. Commitment at All Levels: This includes leadership buy-in and clear organizational policies on gender equality, ensuring accountability for progress. Companies, institutes, and agencies are encouraged to create gender equality objectives tailored to their specific contexts, backed by internal policies and resources.
2. Equal Opportunities in Recruitment and Promotion: The toolkit highlights the need for unbiased hiring practices and calls for structural changes, such as gender-neutral job descriptions, unconscious bias training for HR staff, and equitable pay structures.
3. Dedicated Programs for Women and Girls: To inspire the next generation of space professionals, the toolkit suggests creating mentorship programs, internships, and outreach initiatives that specifically target women and girls, encouraging them to pursue careers in STEM.
4. Measuring and Reporting Progress: Consistent data collection and analysis are essential for tracking gender equality efforts. The toolkit encourages space entities to implement regular reporting mechanisms to evaluate their progress and adjust strategies as needed.
Increasing Female Participation: Blue Origin and Global Initiatives
Commercial Missions Taking the Lead
Blue Origin’s upcoming all-female flight exemplifies new efforts to bring women’s achievements to the forefront. In a mission scheduled for this spring, astronaut hopefuls drawn from the arts, media, and research sectors will board the New Shepard rocket—an event that underscores the growing diversity in space tourists and professionals. Blue Origin credits Lauren Sanchez for spearheading the mission, which aims to expand the public’s view of who belongs in orbit.
UNOOSA’s Space4Women and Beyond
UNOOSA’s Space4Women project addresses the gender gap through practical interventions. Its Gender Mainstreaming Toolkit advocates for strong hiring policies, transparent pay structures, and comprehensive reporting to measure progress. The initiative also encourages female mentorship networks, early STEM outreach, and capacity-building workshops to support women seeking space-related careers. African nations, in particular, have demonstrated near-parity in some of their space programs, suggesting that targeted government commitments produce tangible results.
Looking to the Future
Tereshkova’s groundbreaking flight has echoed across generations of female spaceflyers. Another historic milestone is on the horizon: NASA’s Artemis program intends to land the first woman on the Moon as early as 2026. This achievement would come 63 years after Tereshkova’s mission—proof that female engagement in space continues to advance, though often more slowly than many would hope.
Women have repeatedly proven their value in advancing humankind’s reach beyond Earth. From Kitty O’Brien Joyner’s first steps as a female engineer to Peggy Whitson’s trailblazing leadership aboard the ISS, their achievements highlight the industry’s potential when inclusivity is prioritized. At the same time, the ongoing work of UNOOSA and commercial initiatives like Blue Origin’s all-women mission illustrate that more can—and must—be done. Opening doors for female engineers, pilots, scientists, and beyond will enrich the sector’s collective intelligence while reflecting the diversity of humanity itself.
International Women’s Day 2025 becomes a chance for those in space tech to unite around a common goal: uphold the momentum that previous generations sparked and ensure the next wave of women and girls is given equal opportunity to stand alongside the brightest figures in space. By embracing transparent hiring, supporting mentorship programs, and committing to equal pay, the industry can build a future where no role is beyond anyone’s reach—whether at mission control or on the lunar surface.
Image credit: NASA
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