Search results
Sally Kristen Ride (May 26, 1951 – July 23, 2012) was an American astronaut and physicist. Born in Los Angeles, she joined NASA in 1978, and in 1983 became the first American woman and the third woman to fly in space, after cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova in 1963 and Svetlana Savitskaya in 1982.
- Sally Kristen Ride, May 26, 1951, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- August 15, 1987
- July 23, 2012 (aged 61), San Diego, California, U.S.
- 1978 NASA Group
Sally Ride was an American astronaut, the first American woman to travel into outer space. Only two other women preceded her: Valentina Tereshkova (1963) and Svetlana Savitskaya (1982), both from the former Soviet Union. Ride showed great early promise as a tennis player, but she eventually gave up.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Learn about the life and achievements of Sally Ride, who broke the gender barrier in space in 1983 and became a pioneer of science education. Read her biography, quotes, and tributes from NASA and other sources.
Jun 18, 2018 · Learn about Sally Ride's historic flight on STS-7 in 1983, when she became the first American woman to fly in space. Compare her mission with that of Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space in 1963.
- Who Was Sally Ride?
- Early Life and Education
- NASA
- Later Years
- Death and Legacy
- GeneratedCaptionsTabForHeroSec
Dr. Sally Ride studied at Stanford University before beating out 1,000 other applicants for a spot in NASA's astronaut program. After rigorous training, Ride joined the Challenger shuttle mission on June 18, 1983, and became the first American woman in space.
Born on May 26, 1951, Ride grew up in Los Angeles and went to Stanford University, where she was a double major in physics and English. Ride received bachelor's degrees in both subjects in 1973. She continued to study physics at the university, earning a master's degree in 1975 and a Ph.D. in 1978.
That same year, Ride beat out 1,000 other applicants for a spot in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) astronaut program. She went through the program’s rigorous training program and got her chance to go into space and the record books in 1983. On June 18, Ride became the first American woman in space, aboard the space shuttl...
After NASA, Ride became the director of the California Space Institute at the University of California, San Diego, as well as a professor of physics at the school in 1989. In 2001, she started her own company to create educational programs and products known as Sally Ride Science to help inspire girls and young women to pursue their interests in sc...
For her contributions to the field of science and space exploration, Ride received many honors, including the NASA Space Flight Medal and the NCAA's Theodore Roosevelt Award. She was also inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame and the Astronaut Hall of Fame. On July 23, 2012, Ride died at the age of 61, following a 17-month battle with pan...
Learn about Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, who studied physics and English at Stanford University and became an astronaut and astrophysicist. Find out about her achievements, awards, death and legacy, and see some of her quotes.
People also ask
Who is Sally Ride?
When did Sally Ride die?
How did Sally Ride become a astronaut?
Is Sally Ride still alive?
Jul 24, 2012 · By Denise Grady. July 23, 2012. Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, died on Monday at her home in San Diego. She was 61. The cause was pancreatic cancer, her company, Sally...
Jul 16, 2023 · Sally Ride became the first American woman to go into space when she flew on the space shuttle Challenger on June 18, 1983. She made two shuttle flights and later became a champion for science...
