Sally Ride: America S First Woman in Space, Sherr Lynn

Sally Ride made history as the first American woman in space. A member of the first astronaut class to include women, she broke through a quarter-century of white male fighter jocks when NASA chose her for the seventh shuttle mission, cracking the celestial ceiling and inspiring several generations of women.

After a second flight, Ride served on the panels investigating the Challenger explosion and the Columbia disintegration that killed all aboard. In both instances she faulted NASAs rush to meet mission deadlines and its organizational failures. She cofounded a company promoting science and education for children, especially girls.