Many people associate astronauts with men, but the newest exhibit at the Fountain-New Library on Brewton-Parker College’s Mount Vernon campus aims to remove that notion. The “Rocket Girls” exhibit features historical female astronauts who traveled to space during the Space Shuttle Era. Prior to these missions, no women had flown in space before.
Eleven of these women’s biographies are displayed, offering some insight into what their experiences as female astronauts were like. The images featured come from NASA’s archives with many on display for the first time, offering a unique view into this era of space exploration.
Viewers of the exhibit can also acquire more information about the specific space shuttle missions, such as the Challenger and Columbia, that these women were a part of. Visitors can learn about the successes and failures of these missions that impacted later space exploration. An interesting view of the inner-workings of a space shuttle orbiter is also provided, as well as some fun facts about the different shuttle orbiters.
Daryl Fletcher, Director of Library Services at Brewton-Parker, shared, “I’m sure that many people have seen the movie “Hidden Figures”. This exhibit is about a more recent era of space exploration when women finally had a chance to become astronauts. I hope the exhibit will encourage all of our students to follow their dreams.” The exhibit will be on display until October 13.