SALLY RIDE (May 26, 1951 – July 23, 2012)

Sally Ride, First Woman Astronaut in Space

Sally Ride, the first woman astronaut to travel to space, passed away today at the age of 61 from her 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer. At Stanford University, Ride earned her master’s degree and Ph.D in physics. Ride joined NASA in 1978 and rode the Challenger to space on June 18, 1978 at the age of 32 and again in 1984. She spent 14 days in space!  After NASA, Sally Ride worked at the Stanford University International Security and Arms Control and taught physics at the University of California, San Diego. She later became the director of the California Space Institute and the founder and CEO of Sally Ride Science. Today, President Obama remembered Sally Ride as “a national hero and a powerful role model.”

References

Borenstein, Seth, and Alicia Chang. “Sally Ride, first US woman in space, dies at 61.” Boston.com. Boston.com, 23 July 2012. Web. 23 July 2012.