My name is Ethel L. Lee, affectionately known as "Space Shuttle Ethel," and at 100 years old, I am asking America to join me on monumental out of this world NASA mission.

Today, America needs more hope than ever. We need stories that remind us what we can accomplish when we work together toward a common goal.

By signing this petition, you are respectfully supporting my request for the opportunity to:

• Meet NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, to discuss preserving and continuing the Lee Family NASA Space & STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) education legacy.

• Partner with NASA to preserve and share the Lee family story through NASA's public outreach, educational, and historical programs so young people can learn how ordinary Americans made extraordinary achievements possible. 

• Meet astronaut Victor Glover, whose dedication represents the next generation of American space exploration and who lives within driving distance of my home in South Los Angeles.

• Honor Ethel Lee’s contributions during the Artemis era, connecting the pioneers of America's first NASA Moon missions with the explorers leading the next generation of lunar exploration.

• Invite Ethel Lee to a NASA or Artemis-related event as a guest of honor while she is still able to witness this historic moment.

In February 1959, just four months after NASA was established, I launched my mission to help America achieve one of its greatest accomplishments—landing the first man on the Moon.  "And that's what I did!"

I started my career before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, before the Voting Rights Act of 1965, before affirmative action, and long before diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs ever existed.

I enjoyed a 31 year career at  Rockwell International in Downey, CA where  I worked on the Apollo 11 moon landing mission and my hands helped build every single NASA Space Shuttle:  Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour.

I am grateful to God that I have lived long enough to witness America's second space race era of lunar exploration through the Artemis program. Seeing a new generation of explorers—including the first woman and the first Black astronaut orbit the moon—fills me with hope for our nation's future.

That hope is already alive in my own family. My amazing granddaughter launched the nation's first K–12 SPACE & STEAM College and Career Pathway, graduating her first fifth-grade class at 52nd Street Elementary School in Leimert Park, California. Our work is inspiring the next generation of astronauts, engineers, space food scientist and innovators, continuing our family's commitment to education, opportunity, and America's leadership in space exploration.

This petition is not simply about recognizing one person's accomplishments. It is about honoring the thousands of Americans whose dedication helped make space exploration possible. It is about preserving history, inspiring future generations, and reminding our nation that when we unite behind a shared purpose, there is no limit to what America can achieve.

At 100 years old, I am asking you to stand with me. Please sign this petition.Together, we can make history once again.

Thank you for your support.

— Ethel Lee

Ethel Lee's 100th Birthday Celebration (KTLA 5 - 2026)
Ethel's 99th Birthday Women's History Month (ABC7 2025)
Ethel Lee Family Legacy: Honoring 3  Generations of Space & STEAM Women (CBS2 LA 2025)
Ethel Lee recounts time spent building NASA space shuttles (Fox 11 News - 2024)
Columbia Memorial Space Center Exhibit:  The NASA Life of Space Shuttle Ethel (2024)