Leverton, Irene (1924–)
Leverton, Irene (1924–)
American aviator. Born 1924; grew up in Chicago, IL; never married.
A top pilot, was one of 13 women slated for the "Women in Space" program (1961); passed all the tests while in training, until NASA abruptly cancelled the program (the world was not yet ready for women astronauts); spent most of her career as a charter pilot, then flight instructor; logged more than 25,000 flight hours.
See also Stephanie Nolen, Promised the Moon: The Untold Story of the First Women in the Space Race (2002); Martha Ackmann, The Mercury 13 (2003).
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Leverton, Irene (1924–)