Sally Ride, US austronaut dies

[Darth Penguin]

Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, dies aged 61

According to Sally Ride Science, her historic flight into space captured the nation's imagination and made her a household name. She became a symbol of the ability of women to break barriers and a hero to generations of adventurous young girls.


After retiring from NASA, Sally used her high profile to champion a cause she believed in passionately--inspiring young people, especially girls, to stick with their interest in science, to become scientifically literate, and to consider pursuing careers in science and engineering.

[Patty Smyth]

Holy crap , so young

[Abby5]

Cancer sucks So sad

[DaveP]

61 is too young, so sad. Pancreatic cancer is one of the nastiest. Very low survival rate.

She was a pioneer and an inspiration to many. Rest in peace.

[Natalka]

Such very sad news - her being the first was such an amazing big deal, and now it's common - what a legacy to leave!
Way too young; all cancer sucks, but pancreatic is a real bugger.



I always thought it amazing that she had degrees granted in both Physics and English the same year
- that's using all of your brain!

Ride obtained a B.S. in physics and a B.A. in English from Stanford University in 1973 and earned a Ph.D. in physics there in 1977. A year later she was accepted into the astronaut training program for the space shuttle; she obtained her pilot's license during that training. Her first flight into space was made on June 18-24, 1983, aboard the shuttle Challenger. As a mission specialist she took part in launching two communications satellites, and in launching and retrieving a test satellite. Ride later took part in the 13th shuttle mission, on October 5-13, 1984. She was not the first woman in space, though; that honour went to the Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova in 1963. Ride resigned from NASA in May 1987. In 1989 she became director of the California Space Institute at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and professor of physics at the University of California at San Diego.

http://library.thinkquest.org/26245/people/sally.htm

[Shwa Girl]

Such very sad news - her being the first was such an amazing big deal, and now it's common - what a legacy to leave!
Way too young; all cancer sucks, but pancreatic is a real bugger.



I always thought it amazing that she had degrees granted in both Physics and English the same year
- that's using all of your brain!

Ride obtained a B.S. in physics and a B.A. in English from Stanford University in 1973 and earned a Ph.D. in physics there in 1977. A year later she was accepted into the astronaut training program for the space shuttle; she obtained her pilot's license during that training. Her first flight into space was made on June 18-24, 1983, aboard the shuttle Challenger. As a mission specialist she took part in launching two communications satellites, and in launching and retrieving a test satellite. Ride later took part in the 13th shuttle mission, on October 5-13, 1984. She was not the first woman in space, though; that honour went to the Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova in 1963. Ride resigned from NASA in May 1987. In 1989 she became director of the California Space Institute at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and professor of physics at the University of California at San Diego.

http://library.thinkquest.org/26245/people/sally.htm

Very sad.
I did not know she had a degree in physics and English.
She accomplished a lot in her life.

[Patty Smyth]

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/_news...e-was-gay?lite

[Darth Penguin]

I want to live in a world where some-one's sexuality shouldn't be a problem or cause for gossip.

[Jbird]

I saw something on television regarding her sexuality and saw it was making "headlines", I don't see why it needs to be headlined, a person's sexuality is their business, and honestly more power to her for telling that, she's a strong individual.

[Patty Smyth]

I just find it sad that people who have influence and could help young people with similar issues feel they need to keep silent.