---
title: "Retired Astronaut: Sending a Woman to the Moon “Sounds Like a Stunt”"
description: "Retired NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson worries that the public will misunderstand NASA's assertion that the next human on the Moon will be a woman."
date: "2019-07-30"
modified: "2019-07-30"
authors:
  - name: "Kristin Houser"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/kristin"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/astronaut-sending-woman-moon-stunt"
categories:
  - "Astronomy"
  - "Moon"
  - "Space"
tags:
  - "moon"
  - "NASA"
  - "peggy whitson"
  - "the digest"
---

# Retired Astronaut: Sending a Woman to the Moon “Sounds Like a Stunt”

![NASA astronaut Jessica Meir hopes she's the next Moonwalker — but she isn't thrilled with NASA's emphasis on putting a woman on the Moon.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/nasa-astronaut-sending-woman-moon-stunt.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: NASA/Victor Tangermann\</em\>*

## Equal Opportunity

In March, NASA administrator [Jim Bridenstine said](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-first-human-mars-woman>) during a talk show appearance that the next person on the Moon is "likely to be a women."

Now, retired NASA astronaut and former International Space Station commander Peggy Whitson is rebuking NASA's plan, saying she doesn't think gender should have anything to do with the Moonwalker decision.

## Earned Honor

In a recent [interview](<https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/jul/28/nasa-astronaut-jessica-meir-making-first-voyage-to/>) with *The Washington Times*, Whitson noted her displeasure with NASA's emphasis on putting a woman on the Moon.

She worries that the public could misunderstand the situation as the agency choosing a female astronaut for the mission *because* she's a woman, she said — not because she's the best astronaut for the job.

## Stunt Casting

That's not to say Whitson isn't excited for the day when the first woman [walks on the Moon](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/first-moon-walk-videos-million-dollars>).

"I do think it’s important, just like me becoming the first female commander when I was qualified," she told *The Washington Times*. "I’m sure there will be a qualified woman who will do a phenomenal job, but I don’t like how it’s presented in the sense that it sounds like a stunt."

**READ MORE:** [NASA astronaut Jessica Meir making first voyage to space in September](<https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/jul/28/nasa-astronaut-jessica-meir-making-first-voyage-to/>) \[*The Washington Times*\]

**More on NASA's Moon plans:** *[NASA Leader: First Human on Mars "Likely to Be" a Woman](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-first-human-mars-woman>)*

### Author social links  
[LinkedIn](<https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinjhouser>)