“The Unlikely Astronaut” is the true story of how Astronaut Susan Kilrain overcame all obstacles to achieve her dream of flying in space when no American woman had. As one of only three women and the youngest to ever pilot the space shuttle, her story of unwavering determination will encourage children to reach for the stars even if the odds are against them. Commander Susan Kilrain is a renowned astronaut, a distinguished navy test pilot and aerospace engineer, and a world traveler. She is the youngest person, and one of only three women, to pilot the space shuttle. She served twenty years in the navy paving the way for women. She has flown more than 3,000 flight hours in over 30 different aircraft, and she was awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal. Commander Kilrain flew as pilot of STS-83 and STS-94, spending more than 20 days in space. Her first mission was cut short due to a potentially life-threatening shuttle system failure.
