Astronaut-Educator Sally Ride Passes Away

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Director Charles Elachi released the following statement on Sally K. Ride, America’s first woman in space, who died on Monday, July 23:

Sally Ride was an extraordinarily gifted scientist and explorer who used her talents in many ways to make the future better for all of us. At JPL we benefited greatly from her guidance as a member of Caltech’s Board of Trustees and its Committee on JPL. Her company Sally Ride Science played a leadership role in educational initiatives such as the student-directed MoonKam instrument on the GRAIL spacecraft to Earth’s moon.

“More than anything, Sally was a fierce advocate for women in science and technology who worked tirelessly to help girls understand they can succeed in these career paths. I am certain that many young women entering these fields will be able to credit her for inspiration and the role she played in introducing science and engineering to them.

> Learn more on the NASA website