http://www.chron.com/news/article/Sally-Ride-first-US-woman-in-space-dies-at-61-3728799.php
QuoteSpace used to be a man's world. Then came Sally Ride, who blazed a cosmic trail into orbit for U.S. women. With a pitch perfect name out of a pop song refrain, she joined the select club of American space heroes the public knew by heart: Shepard, Glenn, Armstrong and Aldrin.
Ride, the first American woman in orbit, died Monday at her home in the San Diego community of La Jolla at age 61 of pancreatic cancer, according to her company, Sally Ride Science.
Ride flew into space on the space shuttle Challenger on June 18, 1983, when she was 32. Since then, 42 other American women followed her into space.
"Sally was a national hero and a powerful role model. She inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars," President Barack Obama said in a statement.
When shuttles started flying frequently with crews of six or seven, astronauts became plentiful and anonymous. Not Ride.
"People around the world still recognize her name as the first American woman in space, and she took that title seriously even after departing NASA," Eileen Collins, the first female space shuttle commander, said in a statement. "She never sought media attention for herself, but rather focused on doing her normally outstanding job."
When Ride first launched into space, feminist icons such as Gloria Steinem and Jane Fonda were at Kennedy Space Center and many wore T-shirts alluding to the pop song with the refrain of the same name: "Ride, Sally Ride."
NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, a former astronaut, said Ride "broke barriers with grace and professionalism — and literally changed the face of America's space program."
"The nation has lost one of its finest leaders, teachers and explorers," he said in a statement.
Ride was a physicist, writer of five science books for children and president of her own company, which motivates youngsters to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math. She had also been a professor of physics at the University of California, San Diego.
In 1978, NASA included women in the astronaut corps, selecting Ride and five other women to join the club, which had been dominated by male military test pilots. Ride beat out fellow astronaut candidates to be the first American female in space. Her first flight came two decades after the Soviets sent a woman into space and less than a year after a second Soviet woman flew.
"On launch day, there was so much excitement and so much happening around us in crew quarters, even on the way to the launch pad," Ride recalled in a NASA interview for the 25th anniversary of her flight in 2008. "I didn't really think about it that much at the time — but I came to appreciate what an honor it was to be selected to be the first to get a chance to go into space."
Ride flew in space twice, both times on Challenger, in 1983 and on October 5, 1984, logging 343 hours in space. A third flight was cancelled when Challenger exploded in 1986. She was on the commission investigating that accident and later served on the panel for the 2003 Columbia shuttle accident, the only person on both boards. She also was on the president's committee of science advisers.
The 20th anniversary of her first flight also coincided with the loss of Columbia, a bittersweet time for Ride, who discussed it in a 2003 interview with The Associated Press. She acknowledged it was depressing to spend the anniversary investigating the accident, which killed seven astronauts.
"But in another sense, it's rewarding because it's an opportunity to be part of the solution and part of the changes that will occur and will make the program better," she said.
Later in the interview, she focused on science education and talked about "being a role model and being very visible."
"She was very smart," said former astronaut Norman Thagard, who was on Ride's first flight. "We did have a good time."
It was all work on that first flight, except for a first-in-space sprint around the inside of the shuttle, Thagard recalled in a phone interview Monday. He didn't know who won.
Born on May 26, 1951, in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley, Ride became fascinated with science early on, playing with a chemistry kit and telescope. She also excelled in tennis and competed in national junior tournaments.
She earned bachelor's degrees in physics and English from Stanford University in 1973 and a master's in 1975. She saw an ad in the student newspaper calling for scientists and engineers to apply to become astronauts and was chosen in 1978, the same year she earned her doctorate in physics from Stanford.
Ride was married to fellow astronaut Steve Hawley from 1982 to 1987. Hawley said Ride was never fully comfortable being in the spotlight.
"While she never enjoyed being a celebrity, she recognized that it gave her the opportunity to encourage children, particularly young girls, to reach their full potential," Hawley said in a statement released by NASA.
One of Ride's last legacies was allowing middle school students to take their own pictures of the moon using cameras aboard NASA's twin Grail spacecraft in a project spearheaded by her company.
"Sally literally could have done anything with her life. She decided to devote her life to education and to inspiring young people. To me, that's such a powerful thing. It's extraordinarily admirable," said Maria Zuber, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who heads the Grail mission.
Ride's office said she is survived by Tam O'Shaughnessy, her partner of 27 years and a co-founder of Sally Ride Science; her mother, Joyce; her sister, Bear, a niece; and a nephew.
:(
How is space a "world"? :rolleyes:
:(
:(
Quote"Sally was a national hero and a powerful role model. She inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars," President Barack Obama said in a statement.
Which makes it hard to break it to them we no longer send people into space.
Anyway RIP you brave pioneer.
Quote from: Valmy on July 24, 2012, 08:08:47 AM
Quote"Sally was a national hero and a powerful role model. She inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars," President Barack Obama said in a statement.
Which makes it hard to break it to them we no longer send people into space.
:rolleyes:
Quote from: garbon on July 24, 2012, 08:15:37 AM
:rolleyes:
Eh you see it all the time. Kids tell you they want to be Astronauts and you are sorta like 'Um...yeah...'
Quote from: Valmy on July 24, 2012, 08:23:08 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 24, 2012, 08:15:37 AM
:rolleyes:
Eh you see it all the time. Kids tell you they want to be Astronauts and you are sorta like 'Um...yeah...'
I don't think Obama was saying that she literally inspired young girls to go out and reach stars.
Quote from: garbon on July 24, 2012, 08:28:40 AM
I don't think Obama was saying that she literally inspired young girls to go out and reach stars.
Oh so a female astronaut did not inspire young girls to be astronauts but to become office managers or something?
Quote from: Valmy on July 24, 2012, 08:34:54 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 24, 2012, 08:28:40 AM
I don't think Obama was saying that she literally inspired young girls to go out and reach stars.
Oh so a female astronaut did not inspire young girls to be astronauts but to become office managers or something?
There's a lot of things a female astronaut can have inspired girls to do. Easiest is obviously an interest in space, though that doesn't have to extend solely to being an astronaut. Then also inspiring girls to be interested in science and more generally inspiring young girls that they really can be anything that they want to be. I think the latter is the most important / at the heart of why Sally Ride is/was so inspiring.
Quote from: Valmy on July 24, 2012, 08:23:08 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 24, 2012, 08:15:37 AM
:rolleyes:
Eh you see it all the time. Kids tell you they want to be Astronauts and you are sorta like 'Um...yeah...'
I wish my kid had aspirations as realistic as that. Right now he says he wants to be Killer Croc.
Quote from: derspiess on July 24, 2012, 08:58:34 AM
Quote from: Valmy on July 24, 2012, 08:23:08 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 24, 2012, 08:15:37 AM
:rolleyes:
Eh you see it all the time. Kids tell you they want to be Astronauts and you are sorta like 'Um...yeah...'
I wish my kid had aspirations as realistic as that. Right now he says he wants to be Killer Croc.
Look who he has as a parent. -_-
Quote from: garbon on July 24, 2012, 09:01:00 AM
Quote from: derspiess on July 24, 2012, 08:58:34 AM
Quote from: Valmy on July 24, 2012, 08:23:08 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 24, 2012, 08:15:37 AM
:rolleyes:
Eh you see it all the time. Kids tell you they want to be Astronauts and you are sorta like 'Um...yeah...'
I wish my kid had aspirations as realistic as that. Right now he says he wants to be Killer Croc.
Look who he has as a parent. -_-
I've done nothing to encourage it. I was into Spiderman when I was his age and I rooted for the good guys. For some reason, he just likes the bad guys from Batman.
Quote from: garbon on July 24, 2012, 08:44:34 AM
There's a lot of things a female astronaut can have inspired girls to do. Easiest is obviously an interest in space, though that doesn't have to extend solely to being an astronaut. Then also inspiring girls to be interested in science and more generally inspiring young girls that they really can be anything that they want to be. I think the latter is the most important / at the heart of why Sally Ride is/was so inspiring.
Well there is a reason why female astronauts inspire but female scientists do not: scientists are not cool. Except maybe mad scientists...maybe we need more crazy female science super villians.
Quote from: Valmy on July 24, 2012, 09:26:18 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 24, 2012, 08:44:34 AM
There's a lot of things a female astronaut can have inspired girls to do. Easiest is obviously an interest in space, though that doesn't have to extend solely to being an astronaut. Then also inspiring girls to be interested in science and more generally inspiring young girls that they really can be anything that they want to be. I think the latter is the most important / at the heart of why Sally Ride is/was so inspiring.
Well there is a reason why female astronauts inspire but female scientists do not: scientists are not cool. Except maybe mad scientists...maybe we need more crazy female science super villians.
All I'm saying is that you didn't need to pick this thread to have you bizarre nitpick.
Quote from: Valmy on July 24, 2012, 09:26:18 AM
Quote from: garbon on July 24, 2012, 08:44:34 AM
There's a lot of things a female astronaut can have inspired girls to do. Easiest is obviously an interest in space, though that doesn't have to extend solely to being an astronaut. Then also inspiring girls to be interested in science and more generally inspiring young girls that they really can be anything that they want to be. I think the latter is the most important / at the heart of why Sally Ride is/was so inspiring.
Well there is a reason why female astronauts inspire but female scientists do not: scientists are not cool. Except maybe mad scientists...maybe we need more crazy female science super villians.
The mad female astronaut was real inspiring.
So apparently Sally Ride was not only the first woman into space, but also the first lesbian put into space. :mellow:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/remembering-sally-ride-americas-first-woman-and-lesbian-to-fly-in-space/article4437138/
Quote from: Barrister on July 24, 2012, 12:33:20 PM
So apparently Sally Ride was not only the first woman into space, but also the first lesbian put into space. :mellow:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/the-hot-button/remembering-sally-ride-americas-first-woman-and-lesbian-to-fly-in-space/article4437138/
And apparently her sister's name is Bear. Bear Ride :mellow:
Lou Reed - Ride, Sally, Ride (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgfqVdZUZ40)
Quote from: Syt on July 24, 2012, 12:52:50 PM
Lou Reed - Ride, Sally, Ride (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgfqVdZUZ40)
Yep mentioned in the article / sadly the first thought that came to mind when I saw that Sally Ride had died. :blush:
@BB - Yeah I didn't even realize she was a lesbian until I read that it said she was survived by her partner of 27 years. :blush: :blush: - though I guess that's what California's laws will help ensure - that kids learn that various influential figures were gay.
Did she have quite a ride?
Quote from: garbon on July 24, 2012, 01:12:30 PM
Quote from: Syt on July 24, 2012, 12:52:50 PM
Lou Reed - Ride, Sally, Ride (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgfqVdZUZ40)
Yep mentioned in the article / sadly the first thought that came to mind when I saw that Sally Ride had died. :blush:
@BB - Yeah I didn't even realize she was a lesbian until I read that it said she was survived by her partner of 27 years. :blush: :blush: - though I guess that's what California's laws will help ensure - that kids learn that various influential figures were gay.
It's not a matter of "not realizing" - she never mentioned that fact while alive. It was only in her death that her family mentioned it.
Yes but no. I mean it seems a little hard to believe that no one knew about this while she had a partner for the last 27 years.
Quote from: Barrister on July 25, 2012, 12:54:47 AM
It's not a matter of "not realizing" - she never mentioned that fact while alive. It was only in her death that her family mentioned it.
Hrm. I agree with garbon here. She lived openly with her partner for a couple of decades. It's true they never appeared in pride parades together, but this isn't the same as keeping her sexual orientation a secret.
This article is interesting.
http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/07/the-women-who-would-have-been-sally-ride/260246/
Fun blurb:
QuoteHowever, there was one job that the NASA planners thought a woman might be suited for:
QuoteThe question of direct sexual release on a long-duration space mission must be considered... It is possible that a woman, qualified from a scientific viewpoint, might be persuaded to donate her time and energies for the sake of improving crew morale; however, such a situation might create interpersonal tensions far more dynamic than the sexual tensions it would release... Thus, it appears that methods involving sublimation are more practical than these more direct alternatives.