CNN CNN Newsroom With Fredricka Whitfield June 4, 2024 18:54:00
That opened the door for a series of first, first female commander at the space station, first black female. >> there were a lot of people who told me women couldn't be pilots, it is really tough when you're the first, only, but i had a reason to keep going. >> reporter: still, four decades later, women make up 46% of nasa's astronaut class. >> we have to go deeper in the academic channel. >> reporter: bridgett is an academic who also chairs women and aerospace. she said the key is to start young. >> the little girls who are excited about science and math before someone whispers in their ear t...