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Sally Ride's Timeline

Sally Kristen Ride
First American Woman in Space

Timeline

1951 Born on May 26 in Los Angeles, California
1968 Graduates from Westlake High School in Los Angeles, California
1973 Receives bachelor's degrees in physics and English from Stanford University
1975 Receives master's degree in physics from Stanford University
1977 Applies to become an astronaut—NASA conducts national search for new astronauts and, for the first time, allows women to apply
1978 Selected by NASA as an astronaut candidate—one of six women of 35 trainees chosen

Receives Ph.D. degree in physics from Stanford University

1978 - 1982 Astronaut training
  • Parachute jumping and water survival
  • Flying in T-38 jets
  • Developing shuttle’s robot arm
  • Serves as communications officer (CAPCOM) for STS-2 and STS-3 missions, communicating with shuttle crews from mission control
1983 Becomes the first American woman to fly in space on June 18, 1983
  • Serves as mission specialist on STS-7, aboard space shuttle Challenger
  • During the mission the crew of 5 operates the robotic arm, deploys and retrieves a free-flying satellite, and conducts materials science and pharmaceutical experiments
1984 Flies on second space shuttle mission
  • Serves as mission specialist on STS 41-G, also aboard space shuttle Challenger
  • During the mission, the crew of 7 deploys a satellite to measure the balance of incoming energy from the Sun and outgoing energy from the Earth and conducts science observations of Earth
1985 Assigned to crew of third space shuttle flight, STS 61-M
1986 Mission training suspended in January after the space shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after launch

Appointed to the Presidential Commission investigating the Challenger accident

1987 Assigned to NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
  • Creates NASA’s Office of Exploration for long range planning
  • Produces a widely acclaimed report called, Leadership and America’s Future in Space

Retires from NASA

Becomes a Science Fellow at the Center for International Security and Arms Control at Stanford University

1988 Inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame
1989 Becomes Professor of Physics and Director of the California Space Institute at the University of California in San Diego (UCSD)

Pursues her longtime passion, encouraging young women to study science and math

1994 Creates EarthKAM, an ongoing NASA program that involves middle school students in selecting, shooting, downloading, and studying photos of Earth from space
2001 Starts her own company, Sally Ride Science, to provide exciting science programs, events, and publications for upper elementary and middle school students and their parents and teachers
2003 Named to NASA's Columbia Accident Investigation Board to investigate the cause of the space shuttle Columbia disaster

Inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame at Kennedy Space Center

2005 Awarded the NCAA's Theodore Roosevelt "Teddy" Award, the highest honor presented to a former student-athlete
2006 Inducted into the California Hall of Fame
2007 Inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame
2008 Continues to serve as President and CEO of Sally Ride Science and to encourage young people across the country to pursue their interests in science
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