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        Copyright
© 2000 Team C001515 |
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Overview: There is always a time when one group in society may not have it as easy as others. In the 1960’s, it was not the done thing for women to pursue a career in the maths and sciences. Those who did so are often seen as trail blazers. Sally Ride was one such individual who showed that even in the arena of space, that courage, determination and heaps of courage will get you a long way.
Country: United States of America Type of hero: Trailblazer Attributes: Independent, Determined Biography: Sally Ride showed early promise of being a great tennis player. Her mother advised against it. (shouldn’t we all listen to our mothers more closely!) Possibly because she wanted more of a challenge, she ditched that and headed off to Stanford University where she earned a B.A. in English and a B.S. in physics in 1973. In a world where people today often specialise in either maths or the arts, this was quite a success.
Citations & References:
"Ride Sally" Encyclopædia Britannica Online http://members.eb.com/bol/topic?/eu=2827§n=1 Accessed 28 June 2000
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In 1978, while a teacher in laser physics, she was selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as one of six women candidates to be trained as an astronaut. While previous astronauts had been military test pilots, NASA was after scientists and technicians who could monitor the increasingly complex equipment to be used in space. She received her PhD in astrophysics and began her training in the same year. In August 1979, she completed her NASA training and received her pilots licence.
The Challenger flight lasted six days, during which her responsibilities included testing robots, and acting as flight engineer. She completed a second space mission on October 13, 1984. She left NASA in 1987 and became director of the Space Science Institute at the University of California at San Diego in 1989. She has encouraged children to follow their dreams through the publication of a number of children’s books including books To Space and Back in 1986.
