This week, the Associated Press is heralding two space travel firsts as “a giant leap for womankind.” Just over a week ago, Peggy Whitson became the first woman to take command of the International Space Station. Tuesday, space shuttle Discovery will rocket into space with a woman, Pamela Melroy, at the helm; it will be the first time two women have commanded a spacecraft at the same time.

This is not something that was planned or orchestrated in any way … There are enough women in the program that coincidentally this can happen, and that is a wonderful thing. It says a lot about the first 50 years of spaceflight that this is where we’re at.

— Melroy on this coincidental milestone.