On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space when the Space Shuttle Challenger launched on mission STS-7. She was joined by three male crewmates: Commander Robert Crippen, Pilot Frederick Hauck, and Mission Specialist John Fabian. The mission lasted six days and included the deployment of two communications satellites.
Ride was a physicist and a former competitive cyclist. She was selected by NASA in 1978 as one of the first six women to join the astronaut corps. She was 32 years old when she flew on STS-7, making her the youngest American astronaut to fly in space.
Ride’s flight was a major milestone for women in space. She paved the way for other women to follow in her footsteps, and she inspired generations of girls and young women to pursue careers in science and engineering.
Ride flew two more space shuttle missions, STS-41B in 1984 and STS-32 in 1986. She left NASA in 1987 to teach at Stanford University. She also wrote several books about space and science for children and young adults.
Ride died in 2012 at the age of 61 from pancreatic cancer. She was a pioneer in space exploration and a role model for women and girls everywhere. Her legacy will continue to inspire for years to come.
Here are some additional details about Sally Ride’s flight on STS-7:
- The launch took place at 7:33 am EDT from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
- The crew spent six days in space, orbiting the Earth 165 times.
- They deployed two communications satellites, Anik C2 for Telesat of Canada and Palapa B1 for Indonesia.
- They also conducted a number of scientific experiments.
- The mission was a success, and Ride and her crewmates returned to Earth safely on June 24, 1983.
Sally Ride’s flight on STS-7 was a historic event that broke down barriers for women in space. She was a true pioneer, and her legacy will continue to inspire for years to come.