The first American woman to go into space has died this morning after a 17 month battle with cancer.
Sally Ride was first launched into space in 1983 aboard Challenger, on the seventh mission of the US space shuttle space programme.
She applied to be an astronaut at Nasa in 1977, after seeing an advert in her university’s student newspaper.
It was the first time the space agency was allowing applications from civilians – or from women.
Dr Ride was one of 35 people, including just six women, chosen from a pool of 8,000 applicants.
She flew in two space missions, logging nearly 350 hours in space.
However, her third planned mission was grounded in 1986, after the tragic Challenger explosion that killed all seven crew members.
Dr Ride served on the commission to investigate the accident, and later was assigned to Nasa headquarters. She retired from Nasa in 1987.
US President Barack Obama called her a “national hero and a powerful role model”, and a woman who “inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars”.
“Sally’s life showed us that there are no limits to what we can achieve and I have no doubt that her legacy will endure for years to come,” Mr Obama said, offering condolences to Dr Ride’s family and friends.
