Roberta Bondar marks 25 years since becoming Canada’s first woman in space
The morning of January 22, 1992, was chilly along the east coast of Florida.
NASA officials watched the temperatures closely — just six years earlier, cold temperatures contributed to the Challenger disaster, claiming the lives of seven astronauts and grounding the shuttle fleet for three years.
On launch pad 39A, Roberta Bondar was strapped in aboard the Shuttle Discovery, waiting to become Canada’s first woman in space.
There were many things on her mind as minor issues delayed liftoff by an hour, Bondar recalled in an interview with The Canadian Press to mark the 25th anniversary of her historic flight this Sunday.