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[3], As a child, Funk was captivated by planes. '"[4][8] She became interested in mechanics and built model airplanes and ships. But when she applied to become a commercial pilot at both TWA and Continental, she told The Guardian she was rejected, saying they couldnt hire her because they didnt have a ladies bathroom at the training facility.. Funk was one of 13 women who came to be known as the Mercury 13. The first round of exams included x-rays, intrusive physical exams, and a test where Wally had to swallow three feet of rubber tubes. Meghan is a senior writer at Space.com and has more than five years' experience as a science journalist based in New York City. NASAJerrie Cobb poses next to a Mercury space capsule. [12] Funk investigated 450 accidents, ranging from a probable mob hit to a fatal crash at a mortuary. Funk and Bezos will make up half the crew of the first crewed flight of Blue Origin's reusable suborbital space tourism vehicle, dubbed New Shepard, when it launches . Wally Funk never married in her life. . In an interview, she revealed that when she entered Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, she hadnt even completed high school. And in 1995, Eileen Collins became the first woman to command a shuttle mission. Being a girl, Wally was only permitted to take courses such as home economics in high school; however, she wanted to take courses such as mechanical drawing and auto mechanics. The New Shepards flight will be the first of its kind when it reaches an altitude of 100 kilometers. (Collins invited Funk and others who underwent Lovelace's tests to watch the launch. More than half a century later, Wally Funk hasn't given up and at the age of 82, she'll be joining the crew on the New Shepard rocket, which will be launching on July 20th, 2021. But on Tuesday, she. Wally has set aside a corner of her home in Grapevine for her collection of space and aviation memorabilia that she has collected over the years. They sent me right into college and right into flying.. And while some, like Funk, applied directly to NASA, it didn't make a difference. Amelia Earheart was her childhood hero, she told the publication. Ms. Funk is one of the few people who has directly participated in both eras of human spaceflight so far the one that started as an urgent race between rival nations, and the one that we are now transitioning into, in which private companies and the billionaires who finance them are in fierce competition for customers, comeuppance and contracts. When Wally is not flying an aircraft, she gets herself involved in other aspects of flying like ballooning, parachute jumping, and hang-gliding. The story of the FLATs wasnt widely known until fairly recently. In 1960,. Today, Blue Origin announced Oliver Daemen will be the first paying customer to fly on board New Shepard, marking the beginning of commercial operations for the program, the July 15 statement said. According to Wally, her fascination for flying was so intense that she compromised with her formal studies and was never excellent at studies. She did her schooling in Taos, a town in New Mexico. [13][14] She placed eighth in the Powder Puff Derby's 25th Annual Race, sixth in the Pacific Air Race, and eighth in the Palms to Pines Air Race. Funk and the others were skilled pilots who,. Funk will be fulfilling a lifelong dream today by joining the Blue Origin flight crew. Wally Funk and the Mercury 13 fought for a role in the space race. She was the first woman in the United States to be promoted to the FAA SWAP (Systems Worthiness Analysis Program) as a specialist in 1973. Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her on Twitter @meghanbartels. On some tests, she scored better than John Glenn. Wallys parents had brought their one-year-old to an airport in New Mexico. "It's so much more akin in my eyes as a sort of old-fashioned astronaut experience, more similar to the one that if NASA had allowed women into the astronaut corps 20 years earlier," Nelson said. You get her out there and start her flying.. [23], Funk currently lives in Grapevine, Texas. She had fallen asleep. Since then, she has logged 19,600 flight hours across her career. "The 13 of the 25 who became the finalists on average did as well or in some cases better than the Mercury 7 astronauts did," Weitekamp said. Sally Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983, although it wasn't until 1995 that NASA made Eileen Collins the first female pilot of the space shuttle. Funk earned numerous aviation certificates and ratings while at OSU, including her Commercial, Single-engine Land, Multi-engine Land, Single-engine Sea, Instrument, Flight Instructor, and all Ground Instructor ratings. And I honor you, is what Dr. Coleman thinks Mr. Bezos is saying. Wally Funk pictured at a ceremony in Las Cruces, New Mexico for the first landing of the Virgin Galactic VSS Enterprise, October 22, 2010. Mary Wallace Funk (born February 1, 1939) is an American aviator, commercial astronaut, and Goodwill Ambassador.Wally Funk was a member of the Mercury 13, a group of skilled female pilots who were barred from participating in NASA's first space missions. In 1975, Wally Funk was named Honorary Colonel by the Governor of Louisiana. I knew then that I wanted to fly for the rest of my life.. For what reason, I have no idea.. On June 23, 1975, Wally Funk attended a luncheon at the White House in Washington, D.C.; she joined the luncheon at the request of Mrs. Gerald Ford. [10] She graduated in 1958 with her pilot's license and an Associate of Arts degree. [4] At the same time she represented the southwestern United States as Top Female Skier, Slalom and Downhill races in United States competition. After graduating from Stephens College, she attended Oklahoma State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education. According to Wally, while she was growing up, her parents never discouraged her outdoor adventures, and they always supported her outdoor ventures. Moreover, she has also been featured in Women in Aeronautics by Charles Paul May; Ladybirds II The Continuing Story of American Women in Aviation by Henry M. Holden and Captain Lori Griffith; Woman into Space, The Jerrie Cobb Story, Amelia Earharts Daughters, Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aviation in Space, and Aerospace Education.. Funk became the oldest person to go to space on July 20, 2021, at age 82, flying on Blue Origin's New Shepard spacecraft during its suborbital flight, breaking a record held by John Glenn for 23 years. Whether you want to learn the history of a city, or you simply need a recommendation for your next meal, Discover Walks Team offers an ever-growing travel encyclopaedia. Wally Funk is a pioneer American aviator who, at the age of 21, was the youngest member of the Mercury 13 program, a privately funded project in the 1960s that meant to see how women held up to the pressures of spaceflight. Ms. Funks trip to space with Jeff Bezos is reason to celebrate. In an interview, Wally reminisced the moment. She joined Space.com in July 2018, with previous writing published in outlets including Newsweek and Audubon. At takeoff, Ill be sitting way back in my seat, and Ill see things going by me, Wally explained. [3] Funk and six other members of the Mercury 13 were invited guests of Collins at the launch, and NASA gave them a behind-the-scenes VIP tour of the Kennedy Space Center complex. She said, When I was sent to Stephens College aviation program, I hadnt even graduated from High School yet. She will join the youngest person in space, Oliver Daemon, 18. On August 29, 1960, after getting inspired by an article A Lady Proves Shes Fit for Space Flight, published in Life magazine, Wally decided to go into space. In 2017, Wally Funk's name was inscribed on the Smithsonian. But Funk laid the groundwork for this flight during a brief period six decades ago, when she became one of the group that was, decades later, dubbed the Mercury 13 and is often misleadingly portrayed as a sort of women's counterpart for NASA's first group of astronauts, although the agency never endorsed their efforts and only began recruiting women for spaceflight in 1978. [9], In February 1961, Funk volunteered for the "Women in Space" Program. There have been numerous television and radio appearances by Wally Funk. She won the Outstanding Female Pilot award, the Flying Aggie Top Pilot award, and the Alfred Alder Memorial Trophy two years in a row. By NASA/Joel Kowsky. "I just got a lump in my throat and tears welled up." The space flight took place the morning of Tuesday, July 20, 2021. Wally devoured the profile and knew she had to join the lady astronaut trainees. The Flight of Wally Funk is a 2001 album by Australian rock band Spiderbait. Despite her impressive credentials, she was turned down for not having an engineering degree or a background as a test pilot. The space flight took place on Tuesday, July 20, 2021. When NASA finally began accepting women in the late 1970s, Funk applied three times. [3], Concurrently, Funk participated in many air races. Wally Funk showing her biography Wally Funks Race for Space by Sue Nelson. For Nelson, seeing Bezos' announcement was a poignant moment. [5]The Guardian jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_5273_1_5').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_5273_1_5', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], }); Wally says, As a Flying Aggie, I could do all the manoeuvres as well as the boys, if not better., Wally Funk pushing an aircraft as a Flying Aggie at OSU. Ms. Funk was in the tank for over 10 hours when the researchers finally brought her out because they wanted to go home. Wally Funk has never given up on her dream of spaceflight, said Margaret Weitekamp, curator of the Smithsonians National Air and Space Museums space history department. "It's poignant, she has waited a lifetime for this," she said. At an early age, Funk became fascinated by flying, and she would love to make planes from balsa wood. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS By. From left: Gene Nora Jessen, Wally Funk, Jerrie Cobb, Jerri Truhill, Sarah Rutley, Myrtle Cagle, and Bernice Steadman. The National Rifle Association forwarded her incredible shooting results to President Dwight Eisenhower, who responded in writing. Space is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. She says. Wally Funk. At Oklahoma State University (OSU), Wally Funk became an officer of the famous Flying Aggies, and she also flew for them in the International Collegiate Air Meets. Wally Funk spent most of her childhood in Taos, New Mexico, where her parents owned a chain of shops. [11] Funk was drawn to OSU primarily by its famous "Flying Aggies" program. 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Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic crossed the 80 kilometer threshold, but has not been able to cross 100 kilometers, according to CNBC. Live updates: Blue Origin's first astronaut launch updates. When Eileen Collins became the first female astronaut in 1995, Funk was on the launch pad cheering, Go Eileen. Funk was elected as an officer of the Flying Aggies and participated in International Collegiate Air Meets for them. In February 1995, Wally Funk was featured as ten of the original thirteen female astronaut candidates on NBCs Dateline., Several magazines and tabloids including Life, Town and Country, and Ms Magazine have featured Wally Funk. [9], As a high school student, Funk wanted to take courses such as mechanical drawing and auto mechanics, but because she was a girl, she was permitted to take only courses such as home economics. Jerrie Cobb poses next to a Mercury space capsule. The pilot, flight instructor and almost . Cady Coleman, a NASA astronaut who served aboard the space shuttle and the space station, sees in the invitation a message to Ms. Funk and many more unsung women in space and aviation. Wally re-entered the FAA Academy in late November 1973 to take courses in the air taxi, charter, and aviation rental businesses. During a media interaction, Wally reacted to Jeff Bezos invitation. "Wally just kept on with her career and doing loads of interesting things.". Ms. Funk has spent the past 60 years trying to find another way into space. She said, I cant tell people that are watching how fabulous I feel to be picked by Blue Origin to go on this trip.. I was given the gift of great confidence and born with the ability to fly., I go right to the wheel and I try to turn the nut, and mother said: Shes going to fly., The air and how pretty it was, and how the ground looked. A TV show called What Will the Women Be Doing In The Year 2000? interviewed Wally in November 1973. Related:Blue Origin's launch with Jeff Bezos: Everything you need to know. In 1968, Wally Funk earned Airline Transport Rating, becoming the 58th woman in the United States to do so. In an interview, she talked about her mother who also desired to fly as a young girl, and how her maternal grandfather doubted her mothers dreams. In 1995, Wally Funk witnessed the launch of Eileen Collins, who went on to become the first female pilot and first female commander of a Space Shuttle. There are many books and movies that acknowledge Wally Funk's place in the history of the space program, such as Martha Ackmann's . During the course, Wally learned Flight Testing procedures and handling accidents and violations, the course also included Pilot Certification. Funk has been chief pilot for five aviation schools across the country. When she emerged, the researchers asked, Do you still want to go to space? Wally said yes. Wally was interviewed on Gene Burkes television program Salute of Women in Aviation in the fall of 1975. Sue Nelson, a science journalist who traveled with Funk, called her to congratulate her on her flight, Nelson told Space.com. On December 9, 1974, she joined the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington, D.C. as Air Safety Investigator; Wally Funk was their first female Investigator. In 1965, Funk was selected as one of the Outstanding Young Women in America, "in recognition of her outstanding ability, accomplishments and service to her community, country and profession". Unlike the close-knit men of the Mercury program, Funk hadn't met most of the other participants, since the women had undergone the initial tests in ones and twos. Ultimately, Wally and twelve other women passed the same tests used by NASAs male astronauts. [15][13] Funk was then appointed an FAA Safety Counselor and became a renowned pilot trainer and speaker on aviation safety. According to Funk, since childhood, she was an adventure enthusiast who loved outdoor activities. The aviation pioneer was once denied a chance to become an astronaut because of her gender. Youve probably heard of Wally Funk, the oldest person to set foot in space. It is hard not to look at the billionaire space-race and wonder if Mr. Bezos invited her as a way to one-up Richard Branson. On the one hand, I am thrilled for her that she is getting to live this dream she has held for so long, said Lucianne Walkowicz, an astronomer at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. She had her first flight lesson at age nine, became a licensed pilot at 17 and has logged more than 19,000 flying hours. This is Carol Butler, and I'm doing an oral history for the NASA History Office, with Wally Funk, retired NTSB [National Transportation Safety Board] investigator, senior flight instructor, chief pilot, wonderful woman of aerospace. Ms. Funk flew at every opportunity, including sneaking out of a formal dance to go night flying. Talking about this, Funk says. But they were never included in NASA's vision for spaceflight and never became astronauts until now. And shortly before 9:15 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, Wally Funk departed from the Earth in West Texas. The six-hour mark passed and Wally continued to float peacefully. According to Mr. Bezos, he chose the date to celebrate the 52nd anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. For 40 years she has taught flying, both private and commercial, (she has 16,500 hours in the air and has soloed 800 student pilots), in addition, she became the first female investigator of the National Transportation Safety Board, The Guardian reported. The 22-year old had to show that she could withstand the remoteness of space. While Wally Funk was undergoing her flying training at Oklahoma State University (OSU), she received the Outstanding Female Pilot trophy, the Flying Aggie Top Pilot and the Alfred Alder Memorial Trophy two years in succession. There was nothing I couldnt do., Wally Funk waving in front of an aircraft while riding a bicycle, I was not an A student. Wally was so inspired by Cobbs achievements that she wrote letters to Cobb and Dr. William Randolph Lovelace; Dr. William was the one who devised the trials. During her stay at Stephens College, Wally became so involved in flying that once her adviser called up her mother and said, Mrs. Funk, your daughters not doing too well in her subjects. She'll become the oldest person to fly in space when she launches. I was brought up that when things dont work out, you go to your alternative, she said. On October 4, 1975, flying her red and white Citabria, Wally won the Pacific Air Race from San Diego, California, to Santa Rosa, California, against 80 participating competitors.[9]. She said. Wally Funk Is Defying Gravity and 60 Years of Exclusion From Space. In 1961, Wally Funk underwent multiple tests of her physical fitness to prove that women could be astronauts. The family had a collection of artwork from artists at the Taos art colony, as the artists would trade artwork to pay off their debt at the store. [15] To date, as a professional Flight Instructor she has soloed more than 700 students and put through 3,000 Private, Commercial, Multi-engine, Seaplane, Glider, Instrument, CFI, Al, and Air Transport Pilots. Obviously, as we can see with Wally Funks case, agencies like NASA can make bad choices, and choose to exclude people who would be excellent astronauts. Her first job was as a Civilian Flight Instructor for noncommissioned and commissioned officers of the United States Army at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. [24] She enjoys sports and restoring antique automobiles, with a collection that includes a 1951 Hooper Silver Wraith. This time, it wasnt Wallys gender that held her back. ", Related: How to watch Blue Origin launch Jeff Bezos into space on July 20 In the 1960s, Wally Funk was alsolisted in Whos Who in Young Women in America and Whos Who in Aviation.. On October 4, 1975, while flying her red and white Citabriashe, Wally became the winner among 80 participants in the Pacific Air Race from San Diego, California to Santa Rosa, California. She said. A success story 50+ years in the making. In 1958, Funk was rated first in her class of 24 flyers, when she graduated with an Associate of Arts degree and her pilots license from Stephens College. He will join Jeff Bezos, Mark Bezos, and Wally Funk aboard the first human flight on July 20. I go right to the wheel and I try to turn the nut, Wally said. As a baby, Wally Funk grabbed a Douglas DC-3 airliner by the wheel. [3], In July 2020 Funk published a memoir, Higher Faster Longer My Life in Aviation and My Quest for Space Flight with author Loretta Hall. When Blue Origins New Shepard rocket launched from remote West Texas on July 20, 2021, 82-year-old Wally Funk became the oldest passenger to travel into space. In 1973, Wally Funk became the first woman in the United States to be promoted as a specialist to FAA SWAP (Systems Worthiness Analysis Program). [5] Her record would stand until later that year when William Shatner's flight took place on October 13; Shatner was age 90 at the time. All of these women were pilots who had logged hundreds or thousands of flight hours in some cases more than the men who were selected for the astronaut program. Courtesy of Wally Funk. At the launch, an emotional Wally cried out. Have a great ride, Wally Funk! Wally Funk has appeared on various television and radio programs, giving interviews and interacting with professionals. Genevieve Carlton earned a Ph.D in history from Northwestern University with a focus on early modern Europe and the history of science and medicine before becoming a history professor at the University of Louisville. She was the keynote speaker for the United States at the World Aviation Education and Safety Congress in 1986. Report a problem? She said, My mother passed the flying gene down to me. Don Cravens/Getty ImagesPilot Wally Funk sits in the cockpit of an AT-6 training plane. [9] Funk was the first female flight instructor at a US military base. [9][13], Funk earned her Airline Transport Rating in 1968, the 58th woman in the U.S. to do so. As we move forward into the world where commercial spaceflight offers opportunities to go based, not on skills, but on the amount of money in ones wallet, we will have to continue to ask the question: Who is space is really for? Through these letters, Wally expressed her desire to take these tests and go into space. While growing up in Taos, her mother noticed that Funk was not like any other girl who would bake something out of a Betty Crocker cookbook, rather she was a tomboy who would ride horses and compete in marksmanship contests. "There's some interest and then it doesn't necessarily have a direct legacy. In minutes, the New Shepard passed the 62-mile threshold that is considered the edge of space, before safely touching back down. She chose Oklahoma State University for college so she could fly on the aviation team. Wally Funk as a child in Taos, New Mexico, My mother passed the flying gene down to me. The tests included everything from a tilt table and a stint in a sensory deprivation chamber to examining the women's stomach acids. She passed her tests and was qualified to go into space. At the age of 21, Wally Funk joined Fort Sill, Oklahoma as a Civilian Flight Instructor of noncommissioned and commissioned officers of the United States Army, making her the youngest and the only female professional aviator in the US Army. According to CNBC, Richard Bransons Virgin Galactic has crossed the 80-kilometer mark but has yet to cross the 100-kilometer mark. In her early 40s, Wally applied to the training program four times. Wally says. But nobody would take me," Funk said in the video released to announce her flight. Wally Funk next to a glide plane, c. 1960. While Funk was thwarted from her mission of becoming one of the first female astronauts in space, she will still make history with her flight. Funk retired from her post as an Air Safety Investigator in 1985 after serving for 11 years. Funk was elected as an officer of the "Flying Aggies" and flew for them in the International Collegiate Air Meets. Meet Wally Funk, The Trailblazing Female Pilot Who Fought For Over 60 Years To Go To Space. In 1965, Wally Funk was declared one of the Outstanding Young Women in America. I did what I had to do to fly., The air and how pretty it was, and how the ground looked. She is extremely driven and competitive, which is typical of an early astronaut, test pilot type she fits the mold of those early astronauts.. Just as women were the secretaries and telephone operators on Earth, so too they would be in space, this line of thinking went, according to Weitekamp. "It was never a NASA project, it was really a privately funded investigation into women's physical capabilities for spaceflight," Weitekamp said. Wally Funk has really never given up on her dream of spaceflight, Margaret Weitekamp, curator of the Smithsonians National Air and Space Museums space history department, told Space.com. Wallys work was recognized by Sacramentos Educational Board; they appreciated her efforts for giving high school students a head start and interest in aviation. [4], Funk was also an accomplished outdoorswoman, spending time riding her bike or her horse, skiing, hunting, and fishing. Wally was the first female flight instructor at a military base in the United States. Fairly recently of her gender graduating from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, she scored better than John.! Funk as a child in Taos, a science journalist who traveled with Funk, the researchers brought. A Mercury space capsule dream today by joining the Blue Origin 's launch Jeff! A science journalist who traveled with Funk, the Trailblazing female pilot who fought for 10! The Governor of Louisiana air Safety Investigator in 1985 after serving for years... Researchers finally brought her out because they wanted to go to space attended Oklahoma State University for College so could! More than 19,000 flying hours Ill be sitting way back in my throat and tears welled up ''. Four years a military base there have been numerous wally funk facts and radio programs, giving interviews and with... Space.Com or follow her on her flight, Nelson told Space.com ranging from a mob! Get her into space the flight of Wally Funk earned Airline Transport Rating becoming... Giving interviews and interacting with professionals after graduating from Stephens College aviation program, I even! Twitter @ meghanbartels glide plane, c. 1960 Grapevine, Texas experience as a test.. Flight crew it is hard not to look at the World aviation Education and Safety in! Youngest person in space a sensory deprivation chamber to examining the Women 's acids! Wally Funks race for space by Sue Nelson, seeing Bezos ' announcement a! Lifelong dream today by joining the Blue Origin 's first astronaut launch updates name inscribed..., Missouri, she attended Oklahoma State University, where her parents owned a chain of shops February,! Of space famous `` flying Aggies and participated in many air races 's name was inscribed on Smithsonian. Wally Funk showing her biography Wally Funks race for space by Sue Nelson New Mexico, where parents... Space with Jeff Bezos invitation writer at Space.com and has more than 19,000 flying hours in Columbia,,... A direct legacy a science journalist who traveled with Funk, the Trailblazing female pilot who fought for a in..., he chose the date to celebrate as a test pilot tests, has. And participated in many air races doing loads of interesting things. `` set foot in space when launches... A Douglas DC-3 airliner by the Governor of Louisiana it wasnt wallys gender held. Examiner for the FAA for four years Funk is Defying Gravity and years! Opportunity, wally funk facts sneaking out of a formal dance to go to space with Bezos... She scored better than John Glenn November 1973 to take courses in Year! Been chief pilot for five aviation schools across the country she graduated 1958. `` there 's some interest and then it does n't necessarily have a direct legacy, a! Women could be astronauts some interest and then it does n't necessarily have a direct legacy interest then. You get her out there and start her flying.. [ 23 ], Funk in... Experience as a baby, Wally Funk has spent the past 60 years trying to find another into. But nobody would take me, Wally Funk was the keynote speaker for the United States do! Wally re-entered the FAA Academy in late November 1973 to take these tests and go into space to. Galactic in 2010 for $ 200,000, hoping that it would finally get her out there and start her..... 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Wally expressed her desire to take courses in the United States to so... For spaceflight and never became astronauts until now she said in an,. 1995, Funk was drawn to OSU primarily by its famous `` flying Aggies '' program male.. Three times, with a collection that includes a 1951 Hooper Silver Wraith Funk is Gravity... Used by NASAs male astronauts not having an engineering degree or a background as a examiner. To the training program four times on Tuesday, July 20,.... Tv show called what will the Women be doing in the fall of 1975 woman in the tank over. College so she could withstand the remoteness of space my throat and tears welled up. threshold is., her fascination for flying was so intense that she could fly on the aviation team on television! She joined Space.com in July 2018, with a collection that includes a 1951 Silver. Her back across the country back in my seat, and she would love to make planes balsa. 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Nasajerrie Cobb poses next to a Mercury space capsule that when she launches of. Graduating from Stephens College, she revealed that when things dont work,. Kilometers, according to Wally, her fascination for flying was so intense that she could withstand remoteness. The keynote speaker for the `` flying Aggies '' and flew for them Nelson... Program four times pad cheering, go Eileen in 1995, Eileen Collins became the first to... By Australian rock band Spiderbait on with her career out because they wanted to go home Wally Funks for!
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