SALLY RIDE
WOMAN IN SPACE
INFORMATION ABOUT SALLY RIDE
In 1978, Sally Ride, a PhD candidate at Standford University, responded to a newspaper ad to join the US astronaut program. She was accepted and became the first American woman astronaut to fly in space! Among her other accomplishments, she played tennis like a professional, was an astrophysicist who helped develop a robotic arm for space shuttles, and later, through Sally Ride Science, worked to make science cool and accessible for girls. Sally Ride, who died on July 23, 2012, will continue to inspire young children.
SALLY RIDE
This undated file photo astronaut Sally Ride. Ride, the first American woman in space, died Monday, July 23, 2012. Ride flew twice in space, both times aboard the Challenger shuttle.
SALLY RIDE
Floating freely on the flight deck, Sally Ride communicates with ground controllers in Houston during her STS-7 mission in June 1983.
SALLY RIDE
Sally Ride on Challenger's mid-deck during STS-7, 1983