Monday, July 23, 2012

Sally Ride (1951 - 2012)


News outlets are currently reporting the death of Sally Ride (1951 - 2012), the first American woman in space. 

Sally Ride flew aboard the Challenger in the year 1983 at the age of thirty-two, and also took part in a second mission to the stars. In total, Sally Ride logged more than 340 hours in space. 

A pioneer in space and on Earth, Ms. Ride earned the Theodore Roosevelt Award, the National Space Society’s von Braun Award, and NASA’s Space Flight Medal.  She has been inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame and the National Women’s Hall of Fame.

A great American hero, Ms. Ride was not only a committed astronaut, but a professor at Stanford and a successful book author as well.  The cause of death is being reported as pancreatic cancer, and Ms. Ride died far too young…at age sixty one.

Sally Ride will always be one of my personal heroes, and my heart goes out to her loved ones on this sad occasion.  I hope those who remember and honor her take some solace today in the fact that Sally Ride lived a life of courage and curiosity, wonder and wisdom.  She will be long remembered, and her place in history -- and in our hearts -- is assured.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:43 PM

    Sally Ride R.I.P., a true American space pioneer.

    SGB

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sad news, indeed. As SGB said, "... a true American space pioneer."

    ReplyDelete
  3. She can fly wherever she wants to now. RIP.

    ReplyDelete

My Father's Journal, Epilogue: "My Cancer"

My friends, we have reached the final entry in my father’s journal of his battle with cancer.     I want to thank all the readers who have c...