Joan

Joan is an aspiring astronaut and the novel’s protagonist. Her emotional and psychological journey forms the backbone of the novel. At the start, she is a woman defined by duty and self-sacrifice, someone whose life revolves around the needs of others, primarily her sister Barbara and niece Frances. Although she loves Frances deeply, it becomes clear that Joan is stuck in a life shaped more by obligation than choice. She has buried her own desires so thoroughly that she is not even fully aware of them, particularly in regards to her sexuality. When Joan first applies to become an astronaut, she is quiet, controlled, and emotionally repressed, traits that make her seem composed on the surface but hint at a deeper dissatisfaction and longing.

Her selection as an astronaut candidate (ASCAN) becomes the catalyst for a transformation. The process of training and entering a new, highly demanding...