Sally Ride — First American Woman in Space
Sally Ride became the first American woman to travel to space, launching aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-7. A physicist by training, Ride was selected for NASA's astronaut programme in 1978 and went on to fly two shuttle missions. After leaving NASA, she became a physics professor at the University of California, San Diego and founded Sally Ride Science, a company dedicated to inspiring young people — especially girls — to pursue STEM careers. Ride's 27-year relationship with Tam O'Shaughnessy, a childhood friend and fellow scientist, was only revealed in her obituary when she died of pancreatic cancer in 2012 aged 61.
Impact & Significance
Ride shattered one of the ultimate glass ceilings. Her posthumous recognition as a lesbian added her to the roster of LGBTQ+ pioneers who changed the world while concealing a fundamental part of their identity, raising important questions about the costs of the closet even for the most accomplished individuals.
Reference Record
- Date
- 18 June 1983
- Era
- 1970-1989
- Sources
- 2
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