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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 |
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| Sally Ride, the first US woman to travel into space, has died aged 61, 17 months after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, her foundation says. | Sally Ride, the first US woman to travel into space, has died aged 61, 17 months after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, her foundation says. |
| "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. |
| 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. | 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 died on Monday in La Jolla, California. | Ride died on Monday in La Jolla, California. |
| Once an aspiring tennis player, she went on to earn no fewer than four university degrees including a doctorate in physics. | Once an aspiring tennis player, she went on to earn no fewer than four university degrees including a doctorate in physics. |
| National hero | National hero |
| In a statement, US President Barack Obama said he was "deeply saddened" to hear about her death. | In a statement, US President Barack Obama said he was "deeply saddened" to hear about her death. |
| "As the first American woman to travel into space, Sally was a national hero and a powerful role model," he said in a statement. | "As the first American woman to travel into space, Sally was a national hero and a powerful role model," he said in a statement. |
| 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 joined Nasa in 1978 - one of 35 people selected as astronauts from a field of more than 8,000 who applied. | She joined Nasa in 1978 - one of 35 people selected as astronauts from a field of more than 8,000 who applied. |
| Ride went on her first space shuttle mission on board Challenger in 1983. | Ride went on her first space shuttle mission on board Challenger in 1983. |
| As well as being the first American woman in space, she was also - at the age of 32 - the youngest person in America at the time to go into orbit. | As well as being the first American woman in space, she was also - at the age of 32 - the youngest person in America at the time to go into orbit. |
| Great expectations | Great expectations |
| As part of that mission she used a robotic arm - which she had helped develop - to retrieve a satellite. | As part of that mission she used a robotic arm - which she had helped develop - to retrieve a satellite. |
| She reached orbit again the following year, and was scheduled for a third trip when the Challenger space shuttle broke apart during lift-off in 1986. | She reached orbit again the following year, and was scheduled for a third trip when the Challenger space shuttle broke apart during lift-off in 1986. |
| The disaster occurred just over a minute into the mission, killing all seven crew members, and prompting an almost three-year hiatus in the American space programme. | The disaster occurred just over a minute into the mission, killing all seven crew members, and prompting an almost three-year hiatus in the American space programme. |
| Following the disaster, she served as a member of the presidential commission that investigated the causes of the fatal accident. She also sat on a similar board following the Columbia space shuttle, which broke apart during its re-entry to Earth in 2003. | Following the disaster, she served as a member of the presidential commission that investigated the causes of the fatal accident. She also sat on a similar board following the Columbia space shuttle, which broke apart during its re-entry to Earth 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." |
| Ms Ride's former husband Steve Hawley said in a statement: "Sally was a very private person who found herself a very public persona. It was a role in which she was never fully comfortable." | Ms Ride's former husband Steve Hawley said in a statement: "Sally was a very private person who found herself a very public persona. It was a role in which she was never fully comfortable." |
| The former astronaut, who was married to Ride from 1982 until 1987, added: "I was privileged to be a part of her life and be in a position to support her as she became the first American woman to fly in space." | The former astronaut, who was married to Ride from 1982 until 1987, added: "I was privileged to be a part of her life and be in a position to support her as she became the first American woman to fly in space." |
| 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. | "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. | "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. |
| Ride is survived by her mother Carol and her partner of 27 years Tam O'Shaughnessy. | Ride is survived by her mother Carol and her partner of 27 years Tam O'Shaughnessy. |