Astronaut Sally Ride dies of pancreatic cancer - uses obit to make big statement
July 25, 2012 9:52 PM Subscribe
Sally Ride, the first US woman in space, has died of pancreatic cancer . Ride became the first US woman in space, following two Russian women. She was one of six women selected for the astronaut program in 1978. In her obituary, she named her business and life partner, Tam O'Shaugnessy, ahead of any other family members. Ride was previously held up as a science hero who opened doors for women and supported both boys and girls in pursuit of science education, though she resisted the term "hero" and feminist monikers.
Her sister, an openly gay minister, said today that she hoped the pancreatic cancer movement would be glad to have an advocate. Ride is the first openly gay astronaut. She was previously married to astronaut Steve Hawley, whom she divorced in 1987. Her obit notes her relationship with O'Shaughnessy spanned 27 years. Ride served on two space missions, missing a third after the Challenger disaster halted missions - she worked on the disaster investigation team and was known for publicly supporting the shunned engineer who had gone public with pre-disaster warnings. After she left NASA in 1987, she worked for Stanford and the University of California-San Diego, wrote or co-wrote five children's books and also co-founded Sally Ride Science with O'Shaughnessy. Ride, Sally Ride.
Her sister, an openly gay minister, said today that she hoped the pancreatic cancer movement would be glad to have an advocate. Ride is the first openly gay astronaut. She was previously married to astronaut Steve Hawley, whom she divorced in 1987. Her obit notes her relationship with O'Shaughnessy spanned 27 years. Ride served on two space missions, missing a third after the Challenger disaster halted missions - she worked on the disaster investigation team and was known for publicly supporting the shunned engineer who had gone public with pre-disaster warnings. After she left NASA in 1987, she worked for Stanford and the University of California-San Diego, wrote or co-wrote five children's books and also co-founded Sally Ride Science with O'Shaughnessy. Ride, Sally Ride.
This post was deleted for the following reason: Double. -- taz
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