These Amazing Women Made NASA's Apollo Moon Missions Possible - Space.com

Fifty years ago, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon. As we celebrate the momentous achievements of NASA's Apollo program and the men who risked their lives by flying to the moon, let's look back at some of the remarkable women who helped make the moon landing possible.

During the Apollo era, women made up no more than 5% of the agency's workforce. But they played critical roles in getting the astronauts to the moon and back home safely. They designed spacecraft, calculated flight trajectories, engineered software, helped with astronaut training, monitored astronauts' vital signs during spaceflight and more.

Their names may not be as well known as their male counterparts, but these women's contributions were just as important to the success of the Apollo program. Click through this gallery to learn more about the women behind Apollo.

HERE: JoAnn Morgan, NASA's first and only female engineer during Apollo 11, is surrounded by men in the Firing Room at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 16, 1969. This photo was taken following the successful launch of Apollo 11, as U.S. Vice President Spiro Agnew delivered his congratulatory remarks.

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