In 1960 the famed “Mercury Seven” trained at NASA to become the first American astronauts. But they weren’t alone.

Thirteen women also underwent the same rigorous psychological and physical testing. The first woman to be tested, Jerrie Cobb, even out-performed her male counterparts.

But while Alan Shepard and John Glenn went on to become household names, Ms. Cobb never got that chance.

In vividly theatrical terms, They Promised Her the Moon tells the unknown true story of this exceptional and unjustly overlooked woman—skilled aviator, world-record-holding pilot, successful business executive—and the powerful forces that kept her from reaching orbit.