A little closer to the stars

An interview with astronaut Wendy Lawrence

On that day in July of 1969, when Neil Armstrong stepped off the lunar module’s ladder and became the first human to kick up moon dust, the world watched on in awe. In one living room in the United States, that amazing feat inspired a young girl who would subsequently go on to forge her own frontiers in the sky. That 10-year-old’s name was Wendy Lawrence.

The path to the stars

The dawn of the space age saw many children aspire to be an astronaut, but to realise that dream called for a healthy dose of determination and drive. Lawrence was no stranger to such qualities as worthy role models existed within her own family. Her mother’s father had flown during World War 2, while her father, William P Lawrence, had been a naval aviator during the Vietnam War, surviving as a prisoner-of-war alongside the late Senator John McCain. He would subsequently rise to the rank of Vice-Admiral and among many other significant achievements, he would command the US Navy’s Third Fleet and serve as the Superintendent of the US Naval Academy.