Sally Ride, R. I. P.
By Steve Kinsman, 24th Jul 2012 | Follow this author
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Posted in WikinutNewsScience
Sally Ride, America's first woman astronaut, dies at the age of 61.
Sally's story
Sally Ride, the first American woman astronaut to go into space, died yesterday, July 23, 2012, after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer. She was born May 26, 1951 in Encino, California. She attended the prestigious Westlake School for Girls in Los Angeles and earned a bachelor's degree in English and Physics from Stanford University. She also earned a master's degree and a Ph.D. in physics from Stanford, where she performed research in astrophysics and electron laser physics. An excellent athlete, in her teens she was a nationally ranked tennis player.
Joining NASA
Sally Ride answered a newspaper advertisement which sought applicants for the space program in 1977, and out of 8000 aspiring astronauts who applied, was one of only thirty-five chosen. She quickly rose in the ranks and became Capsule Communicator (CapCom) for the second and third space shuttle flights. On June 18, 1983, at the age of thirty-two, she became the first American woman to fly in space as a member of the crew of Space Shuttle Challenger. Her crew deployed two communications satellites and conducted pharmaceutical experiments. During the mission, she became the first woman to use a robot arm in space and the first to use the arm to retrieve a satellite. She made a second flight aboard the Challenger in 1984, and logged a total of over 343 hours in space.
After NASA
Ride left NASA in 1987 and went to work at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Arms Control. In 1989 she became a professor of Physics at the University of California, San Diego, and in 2001 she formed Sally Ride Science, a company that creates entertaining science programs and books aimed at upper elementary and middle school students, with a particular focus on attracting girls.
Sally Ride was a true pioneer in space and an inspiration to legions of young girls the world over.
Photos from wikimedia commons
Comments
24th Jul 2012 (#)
RIP Sally Ride!
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24th Jul 2012 (#)
Yes indeed. Thank you, ghazala.
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24th Jul 2012 (#)
Well, good buddy, you done gone and did it again, as we use to say down on the farm, you scooped me again...I was planning on doing an article on Sally today.
Your article was a wonderful tribute to a wonderful human being. I, personally, will miss her. She was a very good friend.
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24th Jul 2012 (#)
A lovely human being in every sense of the word. Thank you Jerry.
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24th Jul 2012 (#)
Inspiring life tragically cut short. Sally Ride seamlessly moved from one challenge to another and came out with flying colors. Alas, cancer was unforgiving. Life is unpredictable indeed. Each day is precious indeed, Steve - siva
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24th Jul 2012 (#)
She left us too soon. Thank you Siva.
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24th Jul 2012 (#)
amazing women...amazing tribute,thank you Steve.
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24th Jul 2012 (#)
Sally was indeed an amazing woman. Thank you Delicia.
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24th Jul 2012 (#)
Hers was a historic career interrupted by an untimely death. Thanks, Steve.
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24th Jul 2012 (#)
She courageously blazed a trail, not only in her space endeavors, but also with the great contributions she made for women everywhere.
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24th Jul 2012 (#)
I saw this item on the news yesterday and felt moved. I great lady.
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24th Jul 2012 (#)
Thank you Peter.
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24th Jul 2012 (#)
Nice tribute to a truly memorable and accomplished person!
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24th Jul 2012 (#)
Thank you David.
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25th Jul 2012 (#)
A well written and informative page on Sally Ride, a woman my friends and I looked up to. Thank you for sharing.:)
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25th Jul 2012 (#)
Thank you Denise. I appreciate your comment.
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26th Jul 2012 (#)
US president says '' a national hero and a powerful role model .Inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars''.Thank you for posting here a nice tribute for the powerful Lady .jk
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26th Jul 2012 (#)
Thank you jk. I appreciate your comment.
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30th Jul 2012 (#)
The first American woman in space! You did not mention, Steve, that she was the first lesbian in space, although two Russian women preceded her and their sexual orientation is not recorded. So she had two "firsts".
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30th Jul 2012 (#)
What does her sexual orientation have to do with anything? That was her business. Certainly it is none of your business.
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30th Jul 2012 (#)
The fact that she was gay was not relevant to the article.
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30th Jul 2012 (#)
Steve can speak for himself.
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30th Jul 2012 (#)
So can I, no matter whether you like it or not. Sally was a personal friend of mine and she is not here to speak for herself. Keep that in mind when you decide to talk about her in the future.
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30th Jul 2012 (#)
Steve can speak for himself.
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30th Jul 2012 (#)
Liste Witch and listen good. I AM NOT SPEAKING FOR STEVE. Get your head out of your arse and smell the coffee.
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30th Jul 2012 (#)
Steve can speak for himself.
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31st Jul 2012 (#)
You write like the mindless twit that you are. You aren't even intelligent enough to thing of something original to write.
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31st Jul 2012 (#)
"thing" was supposed to be "think". It really takes a great deal to piss me off but you are starting to piss me off and trust me when I tell you that you will not like me pissed off.
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31st Jul 2012 (#)
Steve has spoken!
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