Sally Ride: First American Woman in Space

In the twenty-first century, we are surrounded by many accomplished women, serving as role models for today's youth. One of the women who paved the way for people like Michelle Obama and Anne Wojcicki was Sally Ride. Most notably the first American woman in space, Sally Ride was also an author and a professor at the University of California, San Diego.

Sally Ride began her career in STEM by obtaining both her undergraduate degree and Ph.D. in physics from the internationally acclaimed Stanford University. After her education at Stanford was complete Ride entered NASA's space training program in 1978,  she was one of six women chosen to participate in the program. Performing very well in the program, Sally was chosen to participate in her first mission in 1983. Ride was thirty-two years old at the time of the mission and it was one of Space Shuttle missions to take place on Challenger. This mission not only put Ride on the map for becoming the first American woman in space but she also became the first woman to operate the space shuttle's robotic arm. Continuing her career in space with more notable accomplishments, another mission in 1984 made Ride the first woman to ever travel into space twice. Once her trips to space were complete Ride still remained involved with NASA and helped determine that malfunctioning O-rings were the cause of the Challenger explosion in 1986. A year later she left NASA to pursue additional career opportunities.

Beginning in 1987 Sally Ride took a position at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Arms Control, after which she became a physics professor at UCSD.  Outside of her other work Ride worked to encourage young people to become interested in space by writing five children's books. These books entitled, To Space and Back, Voyager, The Third Planet, The Mystery of Mars, and Exploring Our Solar System, were picture books that promoted a career in space. Additionally, in 2003 she helped with the investigations at NASA involving the failure of the Columbia shuttle and in 2009 she helped to define NASA's spaceflight goals as a part of the Augustine committee. Finally, Sally Ride passed away in July of 2012, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire young women to this day.