Achievements may be honored with prizes and medals, but few get represented as children's toys. However Lego responded to a proposal to showcase women in space and astronomy by making a Lego set representing four such women and their major contributions. Who were these women?
NASA Women in Lego In addition to the brilliant multi-talented Sally Ride, the article introduces astronaut, engineer, doctor, college professor & businesswoman, Mae Jemison. (Yes, that is
one person.)
As a bonus, there are two women who didn't go into space, but made major contributions to the space program. Margaret Hamilton was the lead developer for Apollo flight software, which was later adapted for Skylab and the Space Shuttle. And astronomer Nancy Grace Ronan - who, sadly, died last year - was the first woman to hold an executive position at NASA. She developed, budgeted and organized the scientific participation for a number of programs, but was often known as
the Mother of Hubble for her major contribution to the creation of everybody's favorite space telescope.