John Glenn, Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom, Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, Wally Schirra and Deke were the original space cowboys collectively known as the Mercury Seven. They were introduced to the American public on April 9, 1959 as the world's first astronauts. Their exploits and pioneering space journeys are regaled and romanticized in Tom Wolfe's novel, the Right Stuff, which led to an Oscar-winning film in the 1980s and a more recent TV series.
By all accounts, the Mercury Seven lived up to their reputations in qualifications and accomplishments. To be selected, they had to meet specific criteria, including height (5'11" or shorter), age (younger than 40) and a pilot's license. They also had to endure challenging physical and psychological testing and training.
There was another group of pilots, younger than 40 and shorter than 5'11", who went through similar testing and training as the Mercury Seven. Over time, they became known as the Mercury 13. Some members of the Mercury 13 performed better than the majority of the Mercury Seven on certain tests. But not a single one was allowed to go to space. They were disqualified on two technicalities. First, they did not have the requisite engineering degree. Second, while they were excellent pilots, they were not pilots trained by the US Air Force. NASA saw fit to waive the first requirement for John Glenn because, he was John Glenn, a much decorated war hero and the first human to complete a supersonic transcontinental flight. And, also, because he was a man. The Mercury 13, you see, were all women, who were then not allowed in the US Air Force and therefore could not have met the second requirement.
The names of the Mercury 13 are Myrtle Cagle, Jerrie Cobb, Janet Dietrich, Marion Dietrich, Mary Wallace Funk, Sarah Gorelick, Jane Briggs Hart, Jean Hixson, Gene Nora Stumbough, Irene Leverton, Jerri Sloan, Bernice Steadman and Rhea Woltman. These women, because of gender discrimination disguised by technicalities, were denied a chance to go to space. That will change in 16 days, when Mary Wallace Funk, aka Wally Funk, will become the first member of the Mercury 13 to go into space, roughly 60 years after demonstrating the same right stuff as the Mercury Seven. She will become the oldest astronaut in history, fittingly beating the 1998 record set by then 77-year old John Glenn.