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Sally Ride, the first US woman in space, dies aged 61 | Sally Ride, the first US woman in space, dies aged 61 |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Sally Ride, the first US woman to travel into space, has died aged 61 after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer, her foundation announced. | Sally Ride, the first US woman to travel into space, has died aged 61 after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer, her foundation announced. |
"Sally's historic flight into space captured the nation's imagination and made her a household name," Sally Ride Science said in a statement. | "Sally's historic flight into space captured the nation's imagination and made her a household name," Sally Ride Science said in a statement. |
She blasted off in the US space shuttle Challenger in June 1983. | She blasted off in the US space shuttle Challenger in June 1983. |
Ride was not the first woman in space - that was Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova in June 1963. | Ride was not the first woman in space - that was Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova in June 1963. |
Ride died on Monday in La Jolla, California. | Ride died on Monday in La Jolla, California. |
National hero | National hero |
In a statement, US President Barack Obama said he was "deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Sally Ride". | In a statement, US President Barack Obama said he was "deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Sally Ride". |
"As the first American woman to travel into space, Sally was a national hero and a powerful role model. | "As the first American woman to travel into space, Sally was a national hero and a powerful role model. |
Ride was born and grew up in Los Angeles, California, attending Stanford University for master's and doctorate degrees in physics. | Ride was born and grew up in Los Angeles, California, attending Stanford University for master's and doctorate degrees in physics. |
According to her foundation, Ride applied to Nasa after seeing an ad in the Stanford student newspaper, calling for scientists and engineers, including women to apply to the astronaut corps. | According to her foundation, Ride applied to Nasa after seeing an ad in the Stanford student newspaper, calling for scientists and engineers, including women to apply to the astronaut corps. |
She became an astronaut in 1978, and went on her first space shuttle mission on board the Challenger in 1983 at the age of 32. | She became an astronaut in 1978, and went on her first space shuttle mission on board the Challenger in 1983 at the age of 32. |
She reached space again the following year, and was scheduled for a third trip when the Challenger space shuttle exploded in 1986. | She reached space again the following year, and was scheduled for a third trip when the Challenger space shuttle exploded in 1986. |
Following the accident, she served as a member of the presidential commission that investigated the causes of the fatal accident. She also served on a similar board following the Columbia space shuttle accident in 2003. | Following the accident, she served as a member of the presidential commission that investigated the causes of the fatal accident. She also served on a similar board following the Columbia space shuttle accident in 2003. |
"Sally Ride broke barriers with grace and professionalism - and literally changed the face of America's space program," Nasa administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement. "She will be missed, but her star will always shine brightly." | "Sally Ride broke barriers with grace and professionalism - and literally changed the face of America's space program," Nasa administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement. "She will be missed, but her star will always shine brightly." |
After leaving Nasa, Ride became a professor at University of California, San Diego, and served as a science fellow at Stanford University. | After leaving Nasa, Ride became a professor at University of California, San Diego, and served as a science fellow at Stanford University. |
She launched Sally Ride Science, which created science programmes and publications for young students, in 2001. She also wrote five children's science books. | She launched Sally Ride Science, which created science programmes and publications for young students, in 2001. She also wrote five children's science books. |
"The fact that I was going to be the first American woman to go into space carried huge expectations along with it," Ride said in a 2008 interview. | |
"I didn't really think about it that much at the time - but I came to appreciate what an honour it was to be selected," she said. | |
Since her first mission in 1983, more than 45 women from the US and other countries have flown in space, including two as shuttle commander. | |
Ride is survived by her mother and partner Tam O'Shaughnessy. | Ride is survived by her mother and partner Tam O'Shaughnessy. |