Sarah Gorelick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sarah Gorelick
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Ratley in 1995
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| Born |
Sarah Lee Gorelick
August 30, 1933 Kansas City, Kansas, U.S.
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| Died | March 17, 2020 (aged 86) |
| Known for | Mercury 13, aviation |
Sarah Ratley (born Gorelick) was a brave American pilot. She was part of a special group called the Mercury 13. These were women who trained to become astronauts. Sarah was born in 1933 and lived until 2020.
Contents
Sarah Ratley: A Pioneer Pilot
Early Life and Flying Dreams
Sarah Lee Gorelick was born in Kansas City, Kansas, in 1933. She loved flying from a young age. Sarah learned how to fly an airplane in 1949, when she was just 16 years old.
She even raced in the famous Powder Puff Derby. This was an air race only for women pilots. Sarah also toured with the Ninety-Nines, a group of women pilots.
Sarah was also very smart in school. She went to the University of Denver. There, she earned a degree in Mathematics. She also studied physics, chemistry, and aeronautics. After college, she worked as an engineer at a company called AT&T.
Aiming for the Stars: The Mercury 13
While traveling in Europe, Sarah heard about a special space program. This program was looking for women pilots to train as astronauts. It was called the Mercury 13 program. Sarah was invited to join when she returned home.
She went through many tough tests. One test involved making her dizzy to see how she reacted. But Sarah was determined to pass. She said, "The tests didn't bother me at all. When you are young you can take anything. My mind was made up: I was going to pass."
The Mercury 13 women were excellent pilots. They passed the same tests as the male astronauts. Even though they were ready, they never got to fly into space with NASA. This was because of the rules at the time.
Life After the Program
After the Mercury 13 program ended, Sarah Gorelick continued her career. She became an accountant for the Internal Revenue Service. This is a government agency that handles taxes.
In 2007, the University of Wisconsin gave her a special award. She received an honorary Doctorate of Science. This was to honor her achievements and contributions.
Sarah Gorelick passed away on March 17, 2020. She is remembered as a pioneering pilot and a member of the brave Mercury 13 group.
