RIP Sally Ride

Sally Ride dies way too young

Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, died today at the age of 61 from pancreatic cancer.

Ride was chosen as a mission specialist for mission STS-7 aboard the shuttle Challenger, which launched into space on June 18, 1983. She made a second flight aboard Challenger in 1984 and served on the Rogers commission that investigated that vehicle’s loss.

She left NASA in 1987 to become a Stanford physicist and also worked on engaging children in science.

Ride holds a special place in my heart because one of her enduring missions has been engaging young girls in science and mathematics — a goal I share with my own two daughters.

She died way too young.


http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2012/07/sally-ride-dies-way-too-young/