In 1978, NASA announced its first class of civilian astronauts, opening its ranks to candidates beyond white male fighter pilots. Among them were: the first American woman, African American, Asian American, Jewish person, mother, LGBTQ+ person, and married couple. Now, Meredith Bagby shares the never-before-told stories of “the new guys,” a class of pioneers who shattered glass ceilings, overcame racial barriers, and literally changed the face of space travel. She researched oral histories, congressional hearings, investigative reports, and had exclusive access to and the cooperation of three of the first American women in space—Kathy Sullivan, Anna Fisher, and Rhea Seddon—and tells their captivating story of the race to be the first woman in space. She was a senior film development executive at DreamWorks SKG, a political reporter and producer for CNN, and a teaching fellow at Harvard’s Institute of Politics. Her education includes Columbia Law School and Harvard College.