Eleanor Vadala, pioneering materials engineer, astronomer, and hall of fame balloonist, has died at 99

Eleanor Vadala, 99, of Bala Cynwyd, pioneering materials engineer at the now-defunct Naval Air Development Center, former astronomer at the Franklin Institute, hall of fame balloonist, chemist, lecturer, and teacher, died Wednesday, July 19, of congestive heart failure at her home.

Curious, energetic, and fearless as a child, Ms. Vadala developed an early interest in science, astronomy, and flight. She worked as a quality control inspector at an aircraft parts manufacturer for two years during World War II and was immersed in science, astronomy, and ballooning as a full-time lecturer and instructor at the Franklin Institute from 1947 to 1951.

She became a materials engineer at the Naval Air Development Center in South Philadelphia and later Warminster in 1951, and did trailblazing research and development on aramid, polyester, and other lightweight materials to be used in balloons and other aircraft until her retirement in 1989. She was an expert on the Navy’s new computerized testing equipment and a member of a U.S. watch team that monitored Sputnik 1 and 2, the first artificial Earth satellites that were launched by the Soviet Union in 1957.

She took her first balloon flight in 1954, became the third woman to earn a balloon pilot’s certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration in 1963, and was inducted into the U.S. Ballooning Hall of Fame in 2019. She was the first secretary of the Balloon Federation of America and was on board for 66 gas and hot air flights in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere between 1954 and 1973.

“We came down very slowly,” Ms. Vadala said of her memorable 75-mile first flight from near Wings Field in Blue Bell to Netcong, N.J. “It was almost like the balloon caressed the ground. … I was so entranced by the sheer beauty of it. We were wafting in like a snowflake.”

Ms. Vadala served as treasurer, secretary, and president of the Rittenhouse Astronomy Society, and helped astronomer Edwin Bailey and others develop the Franklin Institute’s popular Fels Planetarium. She married Bailey in 1984 and established an astronomy scholarship in his name at Villanova University after he died.

She was part-owner of her own hot air balloon, trained aspiring pilots and ground crews, and lectured about ballooning and astronomy at schools, festivals, and elsewhere. “Her lifelong love of learning led her to constantly try and then excel at many new things,” said her grandniece, Sarah.

Her ballooning exploits were covered often by The Inquirer and other publications, and she even made her own telescopes. Her niece-in-law, Helen, said: “She attained whatever she reached for and never looked back.”

Eleanor Theresa Vadala was born Sept. 8, 1923, in National Park, Gloucester County. Her family moved to Southwest Philadelphia when she was young, and she graduated from John Bartram High School in 1941.

She was close to her older brother, Earl, and if he climbed a tree or did something adventurous, she did it, too. She earned a bachelor’s degree in nutrition from Juniata College in 1947 and took chemistry classes at Temple University afterward.

She was a deacon at Narberth Presbyterian Church, read constantly, and liked to work on puzzles. She traveled the world with family and friends, and they still talk about the memorable trips to Canada she arranged to watch eclipses of the sun and moon.

She worked part time at the Franklin Institute and Philadelphia Zoo, and as a guide at Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. She was on the board of the Geographical Society of Philadelphia and active with the Sigma Delta Epsilon scholastic honor society.

She taught English to immigrants, and her signature lasagna, prime rib, and cheesecake made her popular around the family dinner table. “She was a great source of inspiration to be inquisitive and to learn,” said her nephew Earl.

Her niece, Linda, called her “an optimistic person who views every day as an adventure and believes it should be lived to the fullest.”

At her induction into the ballooning hall of fame, Ms. Vadala said: “As one balloonist to another … enjoy the fact that you can fly. You’re free. You’re riding the wind. That’s a wonderful thing. … I wish each and every balloonist here fair skies, gentle winds, and always a safe and happy landing.”

In addition to her niece, nephew, niece-in-law, and grandniece, Ms. Vadala is survived by other relatives. Her brother died earlier.

Services were held Thursday, July 27.

Donations in her name may be made to the Franklin Institute, Development Department, 222 N. 20th St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19103.