Judith Neuffer Judith Neuffer " Judy " Bruner ( born Judy Ann Neuffer on 13 June 1948 ) is an American naval aviator and NASA administrator , the first woman to serve as a pilot in the United States Navy . Part of the first group of eight women receiving orders for Navy Flight Training in 1973 , she was the first of the six who went on to earn their pilot ' s wings . She was the first female Navy pilot to fly through a hurricane , and ultimately attained the rank of Navy Captain . She currently serves as a senior administrator at NASA ' s Goddard Space Flight Center , where she has led numerous large programs . Early life and education . Judy Neuffer was born in Wooster , Ohio . Influenced in part by her father , a WWII B - 17 pilot and post - war airport manager , Neuffer started accompanying her father to work during summer breaks from school at age 11 . Her summer assignments were usually those of helping in the airport front office , but it turned out to be close enough to excite her young passion for things that fly . By the time Neuffer was 15 she had already started flight lessons in the legendary Piper Cub airplane . At 16 years of age , she successfully soloed in the Cub . At eighteen , Neuffer started attending Ohio State University , graduating four years later with a B . S . Degree in Computer Science . It was in her junior year of college that Judy first became intrigued with the idea of serving in the military . She enlisted at the end of her junior year and was commissioned when she graduated the following year . She was serving her first tour of duty in the Navy when flight training opened up to women . Aviation and Military Success . When the United States Navy first offered official flight training to females in 1973 , orders were cut for only 8 potential female pilots , six of whom went on to earn their wings . Neuffer was one of these first six women . The other five women to earn their wings were Barbara Allen Rainey , Jane Skiles O ' Dea , Rosemary Mariner , Ana Marie Fuqua , and Joellen Drag . Back then , flight training for women was limited to non - combat aircraft only . As a result , and upon graduation from flight training in 1974 , four of the female pilots received aircraft assignments in cargo aircraft . However , Bruner requested , and was assigned to the P - 3 aircraft commonly used for submarine patrol and weather surveillance , including hurricane reconnaissance . This aircraft carried a crew of 12 personnel including three pilots . During her Navy flying career , Neuffer logged several thousands of hours piloting the P - 3 , and became the first female P - 3 Aircraft Commander and the first woman to pilot an aircraft through the eye of a hurricane . Judy Neuffer Bruner served a total of 28 years in the United States Navy . During her 10 years on active duty , her tour included numerous flying assignments and a tour at The Pentagon . During her 18 years in the Naval Reserves , Judy held three Commanding Officer positions and also served as the Director of the Navy ’ s Science and Technology Reserve Program . She received numerous Navy awards including four Meritorious Service Medal s and the Navy Commendation Medal . Neuffer retired from the United States Navy in 1998 having attained the rank of Captain . Aerospace career . Bruner began her career with NASA in 1981 , working first as a contractor for UNISYS Corporation as a Senior Systems Analyst on the Hubble Space Telescope mission . Judy formally joined NASA in 1989 working two years as the ground system Implementation Manager on the Earth Observing System satellite missions . Judy was then selected to head the Spacecraft Control Center Branch . In this capacity , Judy was assigned the responsibility for the development and implementation of all satellite control centers for missions at the Goddard Space Flight Center ( GSFC ) in Greenbelt , Maryland . Concurrently , Judy also earned her M . S . Degree from The George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in 1995 . In 1997 , Bruner was assigned to Goddard Space Flight Center ’ s Directors Staff serving in various capacities including Acting Director of NASA ’ s IV & V facility in West Virginia and Program Manager for the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory ( SOHO ) mission . When the Space Shuttle Columbia accident occurred in February 2003 , Judy served as the GSFC point of contact for the investigation and the focal point for GSFC ’ s support of NASA ’ s subsequent Return to Flight . Currently , Bruner is the Assistant Director for Safety and Security at Goddard Space Flight Center . Judy has received numerous technical and management awards during her tenure at NASA . To date , Bruner has received the Exceptional Service Medal , the Exceptional Achievement Medal , the Outstanding Leadership Medal , and the Outstanding Management Award to name just a few . References . Pexton , Patrick . New Captains Have Flown Against Tradition . Navy Times 42 : 4 Apr 5 ' 93 .