Here's the essay that Bear Ride has been sending around as a tribute to her sister: Sally Ride was the first American woman to go into space and she was my big sister. Sally died peacefully on July 23rd after a courageous 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer. I was at her side. We grew up in Encino, CA.
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/why-sally-ride-waited-until-her-death-tell-world-she-f908942
In life, Sally Ride became famous as America's first woman in space — and in death, she's now added to her fame as the first acknowledged gay astronaut. The revelation came in a low-key way: Monday's obituary from Sally Ride Science, the educational venture she founded a decade ago, referred to Tam O'Shaughnessy as her partner of 27 years..
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/why-sally-ride-waited-until-her-death-tell-world-she-f908942
On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space when the Space Shuttle Challenger launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew consisted of astronauts Robert Crippen, commander; Frederick H. Hauck, pilot; and mission specialists — Sally Ride, John Fabian and Norman Thagard.
http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sally-ride-ph-d/
June 18, 1983: The Challenger is launched into space from Cape Canaveral, Florida. On board is Dr. Sally K. Ride. Ride’s mission would be the second flight for the vehicle known as the Challenger, and the first American space mission to carry a crew of five. To the accompaniment of a fanfare of publicity, Sally Ride boarded the Challenger on June 18, 1983, and the Challenger roared from the launch pad and into Earth orbit.
http://www.achievement.org/achiever/sally-ride-ph-d/
Sally Kristen Ride, Ph.D. Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, cofounded Sally Ride Science in 2001 along with Dr. Tam O'Shaughnessy, Dr. Karen Flammer, and two like-minded friends to inspire young people in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and to promote STEM literacy.
https://www.sallyridescience.com/about/sallyride/
Sally Ride Source: NASA. 1  Occupation: Astronaut. 2  Born: May 26, 1951 in Encino, California. 3  Died: July 23, 2012 in La Jolla, California.  Best known for: First American woman in space.
http://www.ducksters.com/biography/women_leaders/sally_ride.php
In a space agency filled with trailblazers, Sally K. Ride was a pioneer of a different sort. The soft-spoken California physicist broke the gender barrier 29 years ago when she rode to orbit aboard space shuttle Challenger to become America's first woman in space.
https://www.nasa.gov/topics/people/features/ride.html
The fact that I was going to be the first American woman to go into space carried huge expectations along with it, Ride recalled in an interview for the 25th anniversary of her flight in 2008. That was made pretty clear the day that I was told I was selected as a crew. I was taken up to Chris Kraft's office.
https://www.nasa.gov/topics/people/features/ride.html
First Woman in Space. In 1979 Sally became qualified to be an astronaut on the Space Shuttle. She was selected to be on the STS-7 mission aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. On June 18, 1983 Dr. Sally Ride made history as the first American woman in space.
http://www.ducksters.com/biography/women_leaders/sally_ride.php
1951 - 2012. Trailblazing First American Woman In Space. Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, cofounded Sally Ride Science in 2001 along with Dr. Tam O'Shaughnessy, Dr. Karen Flammer, and two like-minded friends to inspire young people in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and to promote STEM literacy.
https://www.sallyridescience.com/about/sallyride/
when did sally ride first go into
Sally Ride first went into the Space Shuttle Challenger on June 18, 1983. On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space when the Space Shuttle Challenger launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.