ASTRONAUTS & COSMONAUTS WOMEN IN SPACE A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z                    HOME ABOUT CATEGORIES SITE MAP COPYRIGHT ADVERTISE CONTACT entire Web this site Ride, Sally Kristen (1951-) The first American woman to fly in space. Ride was chosen as an astronaut in 1978 and served as a mission specialist for the Space Shuttle flight STS-7 (1983) and as a mission specialist on STS 41­G (1984). Following the Challenger disaster she was elected as a member of the presidential commission to investigate the accident, and chaired a NASA task force (1986-87) that prepared a report on the future of the civilian space program. Ride resigned from NASA in 1987 to join the Center for International Security and Arms Control at Stanford University. In 1989 she assumed the directorship of the California Space Institute, part of the University of California at San Diego. Related categories    • ASTRONAUTS AND COSMONAUTS    • WOMEN IN SPACE Also on this site: Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy & Sustainable Living Encyclopedia of History Transport Concepts & Designs (partner site) BACK TO TOP