8832.jpg 590158 Mercury 7 Astronauts SignedThumbnailsC-141A Eclipse Towing Vehicle590158 Mercury 7 Astronauts SignedThumbnailsC-141A Eclipse Towing Vehicle590158 Mercury 7 Astronauts SignedThumbnailsC-141A Eclipse Towing Vehicle590158 Mercury 7 Astronauts SignedThumbnailsC-141A Eclipse Towing Vehicle
This is Betty Skelton (Betty Skelton Frankman [later Erde]), the Betty referred to on the personally dedicated and signed copy of the F-106B 59-0158 photo of 20 Jan 1961 by the 7 original astronauts. They called her their number 7 1/2 during her NASA training days, although at the time of this photo signing 'upgraded' her to their 'number eight'.

In 1959, Skelton was the first woman to undergo NASA's physical and psychological tests; identical to those given to the Mercury Seven astronauts. NASA administered the tests at the request of Look Magazine for an article. She met and charmed the astronauts with her personality, then impressed them with her pilot skills. They nicknamed her “7½” and Skelton was featured on the February 2, 1960 cover of Look. The United States Navy even awarded her honorary wings. However, nothing changed. "I complained that NASA wasn't giving more thought to women pilots ... I wanted very much to fly in the Navy ... But all they would do is laugh when I asked."
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