In a space race between Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos, 82-year-old Wally Funk is the winner
1/5
Branson beats Bezos
According to a report by AFP, call it a space race for billionaires: British mogul one-upped rival on July 1, announcing that he too will blast beyond Earth's atmosphere -- as many as nine days ahead of the Amazon founder.
2/5
82-year-old female aviator
The announcement follows Bezo's proclamation in early June that he and his brother would be part of the crew on the first manned flight aboard his company Blue Origin's New Shepard launch vehicle along with barrier-breaking 82-year-old female aviator Wally Funk.
3/5
60 years overdue
While Branson's trip has been several years in the making, Funk's is 60 years overdue: she was one of the Mercury 13 -- the first women trained to fly to space from 1960-1961, but excluded because of their gender.
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4/5
Oldest person ever
When she blasts off with the Bezos brothers, Funk will become the oldest person ever to go to space, taking part in the journey not only with the siblings but also one other traveler who paid $28 million at auction for the seat.
5/5
Missing out earlier
A seasoned pilot, Funk has accumulated 19,600 flight hours, and was also the National Transportation Safety Board's first female air safety inspector. Funk recalled her time in the Mercury 13 program, stating that "they told me that I had done better and completed the work faster than any of the guys."