Author: Big Think Editors / Source: Big Think
It’s no secret that women are underrepresented in various sectors, from politics and banking to engineering and computing. But what about when it comes to space exploration?
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In 1963 Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman sent to space, just two years after her male counterpart Yuri Gagarin. At the time only 12 other people had been to space so it was seemingly a strong start for women.
However, as investment in space exploration grew, so did the gender gap.Today, despite making up almost 50 percent of the world’s population, women make up less than 11 percent of history’s space explorers.
In terms of numbers, unsurprisingly it’s the U.S. that has sent the most women into space. In fact, since 1961 a total of 46 female explorers have blasted off under the American flag, including the likes ofPeggy Whitson who currently holds the American record for most consecutive days in space. On face value, 46 women sent to space sounds impressive, especially when compared to other wealthy nations like the U.K. which has only sent one woman into Earth orbit. However, it’s the percentages that really highlight the male and female divide, with women making up just 14 percent of all Americans sent to space; only France and Russia have sent a smaller percentage of women.
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