Sally Ride is best known as the first American woman in space. Following her death on July 23, 2012 at the age of 61, she also is being remembered as a soft-spoken physicist who wanted to inspire young people to consider careers in technical fields.
“As the first American woman to travel into space, Sally was a national hero and a powerful role model,” President Barack Obama said in a statement released by the White House. “She inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars and later fought tirelessly to help them get there by advocating for a greater focus on science and math in our schools.”
“As the first American woman to travel into space, Sally was a national hero and a powerful role model,” President Barack Obama said in a statement released by the White House. “She inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars and later fought tirelessly to help them get there by advocating for a greater focus on science and math in our schools.”
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden added his praise for Ride’s example.
Following her career with NASA, in 2001 Ride founded her own company, Sally Ride Science, to pursue her long-time passion of motivating girls and young women to pursue careers in science and math.
“Sally was a personal and professional role style to me and thousands of women around the world,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver. “Her spirit and determination will continue to be an inspiration for women everywhere.”
A Los Angeles native, Ride was an outstanding athlete who was nationally ranked in tennis as a youth. She went on to attend Stanford University where tennis great Billie Jean King saw how well she played and suggested she leave college and become a professional tennis player.
Ride decided to stay in school, earning four degrees including a doctorate in physics in 1978.
One of 35 astronauts selected in 1978, Ride was in the first grup of Americans selected for spaceflight that included women and minorities. She and five other women were chosen out of 8,000 applicants. The class dubbed themselves the “Thirty-Five New Guys.”