posted 10-22-2009 06:26 AM               

Amelia Earhart's scarf flying to space with her photographer's astronaut grandson

As a new major motion picture about famed female pilot Amelia Earhart prepares to launch onto movie theater screens this weekend, a scarf she wore is being readied for its own liftoff, flying on the space shuttle with the astronaut grandson of her personal photographer.

Randy Bresnik, whose grandfather Albert was recruited by Earhart in 1932 to be her only authorized photographer, is set to take the scarf on shuttle Atlantis when it departs with supplies and spare parts for the International Space Station (ISS) in November.

posted 10-22-2009 11:12 PM               

The Ninety-Nines have at least one other of Earhart's worn scarves and it too has been carried into space. The first American woman to pilot and command the space shuttle, Eileen Collins, flew that scarf on her first mission in 1995.

This photograph of Eileen Collins with the scarf she flew is courtesy Marcy Frumker who researched the scarf for "Flight to Fame: The Life & Legacy of Amelia Earhart," and exhibit at the International Women's Air & Space Museum.

posted 10-23-2009 12:23 AM               

And a watch that Earhart wore is slated to launch to the space station with astronaut Shannon Walker in the spring of 2010.

"Amelia crossed the Atlantic twice, once as a passenger and once as the pilot in command, flying solo, and she wore this watch both times," described Kerwin to collectSPACE. "Now, I am sending 'her' up in space."

"I am very honored to take this watch," replied Walker, "because to me it represents the continuation of women in aviation and the field of aviation and how we continue to push boundaries and farther than ever before."

Walker will take receipt of the watch onboard the space station after she launches on a Soyuz and it lifts off aboard a space shuttle next spring.

Although the watch still runs, Walker won't use it to keep time but will keep it with her during the flight.

Credit: collectSPACE/Robert Pearlman

Ninety-Nines astronaut members Shannon Walker (left) and Linda Godwin (right) with Director Joan Kerwin.