Sally Ride(1951 — 2012)
Sally Ride
États-Unis
8 min read
American physicist and astronaut, Sally Ride became in 1983 the first American woman to travel in space aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. She took part in two space missions and later dedicated herself to promoting science education for young people.
Frequently asked questions
Famous Quotes
« I would like to be remembered as someone who was not afraid to do what she wanted to do, and as someone who took risks along the way in order to achieve her goals. »
Key Facts
- 1983: first American woman in space, aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger (mission STS-7)
- 1984: second spaceflight during mission STS-41-G
- 1986: member of the Rogers Commission investigating the Challenger disaster
- 1987: leaves NASA to focus on teaching and physics research
- 2001: founds Sally Ride Science to encourage young people, especially girls, to pursue science
Works & Achievements
Aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space at age 32. The mission deployed two commercial satellites and conducted scientific experiments in weightlessness over six days.
Sally Ride's second spaceflight, once again aboard Challenger. It marked the first time two women were simultaneously in space (Ride and Kathryn Sullivan), and the first spacewalk by an American woman took place during this mission.
A children's book co-written with Susan Okie, describing the experience of spaceflight with precision and enthusiasm. Translated into several languages, it inspired generations of young people to take an interest in science and astronautics.
Commissioned by NASA in the wake of the Challenger disaster, this strategic report analyzed the future of American space policy. Sally Ride advocated for diversifying missions, exploring Mars, and improving institutional management.
A nonprofit organization created to encourage young people — especially girls — to take an interest in science, mathematics, and technology. It organized science festivals and published educational resources.
A series of popular science books for children co-written with Tam O'Shaughnessy. Accessible yet rigorous, they cover planetary exploration and helped bring astronomy to a wider young audience.
Anecdotes
In 1977, NASA opened its astronaut selection process to women for the first time. Sally Ride spotted the announcement in her Stanford University newspaper and submitted her application among more than 8,000 candidates. In 1978, she was one of the first six women selected as astronauts — a historic cohort that transformed the face of American space exploration.
While preparing for her first mission in 1983, journalists asked Sally Ride whether she was afraid she might cry if something went wrong in space, and whether her hormonal cycles might affect her judgment. She responded calmly but firmly that these questions were never asked of her male colleagues, refusing to be defined by her gender rather than her abilities as a physicist and astronaut.
On June 18, 1983, as the shuttle Challenger lifted off from Kennedy Space Center, the crowd gathered on the beach chanted “Ride, Sally, Ride!” — a nod to the Wilson Pickett song. At 32, she became the first American woman in space and the third woman in the world, after Soviet cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova (1963) and Svetlana Savitskaya (1982).
Before becoming an astronaut, Sally Ride was an accomplished tennis player. As a teenager, she trained with champion Billie Jean King, who even encouraged her to pursue a professional career. Ride ultimately chose physics, but she carried the discipline and focus of a competitive athlete with her throughout her life.
After the Challenger shuttle disaster in January 1986, Sally Ride was the only active astronaut to serve on the Rogers Commission, which was tasked with investigating the accident. She played a crucial role by uncovering internal NASA memos warning of the dangers of O-rings in cold temperatures — memos that management had ignored.
Primary Sources
The view of Earth from space is breathtaking. Our planet looks so small and so fragile — a blue marble suspended in the blackness of space.
The engineers at Morton Thiokol had raised objections to launching in cold weather. These warnings were not properly communicated to those responsible for the final launch decision.
The United States is in danger of losing its preeminent position in space exploration and space science. We have allowed the Space Shuttle to become our only launch vehicle, placing all of our eggs in one basket.
I'm sure it was the most fun I'll ever have in my life. The thing that I'll remember most about the flight is that it was fun — and I'm sure it was the most fun I'll ever have.
Key Places
Sally Ride was born on May 26, 1951, in Los Angeles and grew up in the Encino neighborhood. There she developed an early passion for science and sports — particularly tennis — before going on to Stanford.
Sally Ride earned her bachelor's degrees in physics and English literature (1973) and her doctorate in astrophysics (1978) here. It was while reading the university newspaper that she came across the NASA recruitment announcement that would change her life.
NASA's primary astronaut training and operations center. Sally Ride spent six years here in intensive training: flight simulators, weightlessness drills, and operation of the Canadarm robotic arm.
It was from this center that the shuttles STS-7 (June 1983) and STS-41-G (October 1984) launched, carrying Sally Ride into space. Launch Pad 39A remains associated with her two historic missions.
After leaving NASA, Sally Ride joined UCSD as a professor of physics. There she founded Sally Ride Science to promote science among young people, and passed away in July 2012.
