Sally Kristen Ride (1951–2012) was a trailblazing American astronaut and physicist who became the first American woman in space on June 18, 1983, aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. At just 32, she was also the youngest American astronaut to fly in space at the time.
Born in Los Angeles, Ride earned degrees in physics and English from Stanford University, where she later completed her Ph.D. in physics. She joined NASA in 1978 as part of the first astronaut class to include women. During her two spaceflights—STS-7 and STS-41-G—she operated the shuttle’s robotic arm and helped deploy satellites.
After retiring from NASA in 1987, Ride became a champion for science education, especially for girls. She co-founded Sally Ride Science, authored several books, and taught at the University of California, San Diego. She also served on the investigation boards for both the Challenger and Columbia shuttle disasters—the only person to serve on both.
Ride passed away in 2012 from pancreatic cancer. Posthumously, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and her legacy continues to inspire generations of scientists and explorers.
