4 Ways We Were Inspired by Sally Ride
Sally Ride -- the astronaut who inspired a generation of American girls when she became the first U.S. woman in space in 1983 -- lost her long battle with pancreatic cancer on Monday at the age of 61.
Ride may be gone far too soon, but her legacy lives on. Here are just a few of the ways in which she inspired us:
Photo: Sally Ride Science
1. She was a true trailblazer. The Russians put the first man in space in 1961; Neil Armstrong and his fellow Apollo astronauts planted the American flag on the moon in 1969; but it wasn't until June 18, 1983, that Sally Ride's mission, the STS-7 aboard the Challenger, blasted off from the Kennedy Space Center, making Ride the first American woman (and the third woman period) in space.
Not only did Ride break through the glass ceiling, she went right past the Earth's atmosphere and into the stars. In 1982, she told The New York Times, "The women's movement had already paved the way, I think, for my coming" -- but we know there was a lot more paving to be done.
All told, Ride logged 343 hours in space, and seemed to love every minute of it. Upon her return from her first mission, Ride told reporters: "The thing that I'll remember most about the flight is that it was fun. In fact, I'm sure it was the most fun I'll ever have in my life."
2. Ride was dedicated to the cause of scientific education, especially for young girls. At the time of Ride's mission, Gloria Steinem, then the editor of Ms. magazine, said: "Millions of little girls are going to sit by their television sets and see they can be astronauts, heroes, explorers and scientists." Steinem was right: Ride went on to champion education in math and sciences for all children with her company Sally Ride Science Academy, which hosts science training, camps and festivals all over the country. "We believe that when children are encouraged to pursue their interests they are inspired to think about their futures," reads a statement on the Academy website. Ride also wrote six educational books for children.
3. She didn't seek out celebrity for celebrity's sake. Fame wasn't Ride's goal, but it was a byproduct of her life, and by all accounts she used it for the greater good. "While she never enjoyed being a celebrity, she recognized that it gave her the opportunity to encourage children, particularly young girls, to reach their full potential," said her ex-husband, former NASA astronaut Steve Hawley, in a statement. "Sally Ride, the astronaut and the person, allowed many young girls across the world to believe they could achieve anything if they studied and worked hard."
4. She had a great sense of humor! Ride managed to stay smart and funny when, ahead of her mission to space, reporters asked her if she cried on the job, if she wore makeup or whether she'd wear a bra in space. Her famous reply to the last (sexist) question? "There is no sag in zero-G!"
President Obama summed it up best in his statement on Ride's passing, calling Sally a national hero. "She inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars and later fought tirelessly to help them get there by advocating for a greater focus on science and math in our schools," he said. "Sally's life showed us that there are no limits to what we can achieve..."