“WT VSGQPF KSD….. (Please refer to your newspaper for complete puzzle.)
TODAY’S CLUE: L = I
ANSWER: “MY FATHER WAS ONE OF MY BIGGEST SUPPORTERS. HE ALWAYS TRIED TO MOTIVATE ME AND, MORE IMPORTANT, GET ME TO SET MY GOALS HIGH.” —SALLY RIDE
Sally Ride
May 26, 1951 – July 23, 2012 • aged 61 • American Astronaut & Physicist
🚀 First American Woman in Space
Sally Ride was an American astronaut, physicist, and educator who became the first American woman to travel into space. Her historic flight aboard the space shuttle Challenger in 1983 made her a pioneering figure in space exploration and helped inspire generations of women to pursue careers in science and technology.
🎓 From California to Stanford
Ride was born in Los Angeles, California, and developed interests in both science and tennis. She attended Stanford University, where she earned degrees in physics and English before completing a doctorate in physics in 1978. That same year, she joined NASA’s astronaut program.
🛰️ A Historic Flight in 1983
On June 18, 1983, Ride launched aboard the space shuttle Challenger on mission STS-7. At age 32, she became the first American woman in space and, at the time, the youngest American astronaut to reach orbit. During the mission, she helped operate the shuttle’s robotic arm and deploy satellites.
🌎 Two Trips Into Space
Ride returned to space aboard Challenger in October 1984 on mission STS-41-G. Across her two shuttle missions, she spent more than 343 hours in space. She was preparing for another flight when the Challenger disaster in January 1986 brought major changes to NASA’s shuttle program.
🔬 Scientist & Investigator
Ride served on the presidential commission investigating the 1986 Challenger disaster and later helped investigate the 2003 Columbia disaster. After leaving NASA, she became a physics professor at the University of California, San Diego, continuing her work in science, research, and education.
🌟 Inspiring Future Scientists
Ride co-founded Sally Ride Science in 2001 to encourage young people, particularly girls, to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. She died of pancreatic cancer in 2012 at age 61. In 2013, she was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, recognizing her achievements in space exploration and education.
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