Astronaut Sally Ride, first American woman in space, communicates with ground controllers from the flight deck of the Shuttle Challenger, June 21, 1983.
(NASA)
TODAY IN HISTORY: Astronauts Kathryn Sullivan and Sally Ride aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, October 13, 1984. (NASA)
Astronauts Kathryn Sullivan and Sally Ride aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, October 13, 1984. (NASA)
June 18, 1983: Sally Ride Becomes First American Woman in Space
On this day in 1983, at the age of 32, astronaut Sally Ride became the first American woman in space aboard the space shuttle Challenger. Her voyage came 20 years after Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space. After the voyage, Sally Ride received many honors for her contributions to the field of science and space exploration.
In May 2012, Sally Ride became the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States.
On July 23, 2012, Sally Ride died at the age of 61 after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer.
Visit PBS NewsHour to learn more about Sally Ride.
Photo: Courtesy of NASA
On this day in 1983, Sally Ride became America’s first woman in space.
Since it’s also Throwback Thursday, we decided to look at a 2013 Morning Edition segment where portions of Ride’s 1983 interview and commentary can be heard.
Her voyage on the Challenger in 1983 inspired the next generation of female astronauts and scientists. Sally is quoted in the interview saying:
“All you need to do is look into the eyes of the kids growing up today. When you mention astronauts, the planets, the space program to them, their eyes just light up. It really captivates them and it ignites something deep inside of all of us.”
In later years, she served as inspiration to the first Latina Astronaut, Ellen Ochoa, and retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Pamela Melroy who became the second woman to command a shuttle mission. Following Ride’s death from Pancreatic Cancer in 2012, Michel Martin sat down with these two women to remember Sally and the doors that she opened for young girls.
Such an inspiration! - Aggi
^ Agreed!
Five storied female NASA pioneers will soon grace toy-store shelves, in Lego form.
The Danish company announced on Tuesday that it would produce the Women of NASA set, submitted by science writer Maia Weinstock.
“Women have played critical roles throughout the history of the U.S. space program,” Weinstock wrote in her project proposal. “Yet in many cases, their contributions are unknown or under-appreciated – especially as women have historically struggled to gain acceptance in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.”
She said the set is meant to shed light on the rich history of women in STEM professions.
Photos: Maia Weinstock
Sally Ride in a T-38 jet at Ellington Air Force Base near NASA Johnson, June 15, 1983. (NASA)
The Project Apollo Archive is NASA fan Kipp Teague’s collection of previously unavailable pictures of NASA’s space history, from pre-Apollo program to present. We’ve paired some of them with buried quotes from the mission transcripts that show the grainy, gritty, and funny side of space exploration.
Pretty neat!
Sally Ride, first American woman in #space, aboard the Shuttle Challenger, June 1983. (National Archives)
Investment in home and community-based care is popular and must be included in #infrastructure. Now it’s up to Congress to get it done. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/04/opinion/elder-care-congress.html #HCBS @nytimes
