Sally Ride (1951 - 2012)

​On this date in 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman, the third woman to fly in space and the first LGBTQ astronaut. A graduate of Stanford with a Doctorate in Philosophy in physics, she distinguished herself at NASA, clocking more than 383 hours in space and working on many projects including the Space Shuttle’s robotic arm. After leaving NASA in 1989, she founded her own company, to inspire young women to pursue careers in science, math and technology. Although married to a fellow astronaut during her spaceflight years, she went on to have a 27- year relationship with her life partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy, with whom she wrote several books on space and climate change.