Hannah Berryman’s documentary “Spacewoman” chronicles the life and career of astronaut Eileen Collins, the first woman to pilot and command a spacecraft in an era where many men still thought there was no place for women in space. During her time working at NASA in the 1990s, Collins broke many glass ceilings, which culminated in four dramatic and dangerous space shuttle missions. Through archival materials and intimate interviews, Berryman’s doc celebrates Collins’ groundbreaking work in space while also considering the emotional drama Collins’ family experienced during her trailblazing career.

The film is timely, given the fact that in February, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered NASA to purge diversity, equity, and inclusion frameworks specifically targeting women in leadership. In 2023, NASA proclaimed that it would “land the first woman, first person of color, and first international partner astronaut on the moon using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before.