One Small Step for a Woman T-Shirt

On July 23, 1999 the orbiter Columbia was launched to carry the Chandra X-ray Telescope into orbit. The crew was led by Colonel Eileen Collins and she became the first woman ever to command a spacecraft. It inspired me to create a painting depicting Collins in front of other famous “commanders” in space program history. John Glenn, John Young, Neil Armstrong, Robert Crippen and Fred Gregory. In June, 1999 I had the opportunity to show Eileen the (almost complete) painting when the crew was at KSC for the countdown rehearsal. Since this mission occurred during the 30th anniversary of Apollo 11 I titled the painting, “One Small Step for a Woman.” A few years ago we met again and she signed my print and then purchased two prints for her children and asked me to sign them. This shirt is authorized by Eileen Collins