First American woman in space Sally Ride dies at 61

Sally Ride, first American woman to travel into space, died Monday after a battle in 17 months against pancreatic cancer, his company. He was 61 years.

Guided tour of the space in the space shuttle Challenger in 1983, when he was 32 years. After his escape, more than 42 American women have flown in space, NASA said.

"Sally was a national hero and a role model. Has inspired generations of girls to get the stars," said President Barack Obama in a statement.

The NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, a former astronaut, said Ride "has broken barriers with grace and professionalism -. It literally changed the face of the American space program"

"The nation has lost one of its best leaders, teachers and explorers," he said in a statement.

Volta was an author of five books of physical science for children and president of his company. He was also professor of physics at the University of California at San Diego.

It was selected as an astronaut in 1978, the same year he received his doctorate in physics from Stanford University. She beat five women to be the first American woman in space. Its first flight took place two decades after the Soviets sent into space in a woman

"The launch day, there was much enthusiasm and so going on around us in the crew area, even on the road to the launch pad," he recalled in an interview with the Walk of NASA for the 25 anniversary of his escape in 2008. "I really do not think too much right now - but I have come to appreciate what has been an honor to be selected to be the first to have the opportunity to go into space."

Ride flew in space twice, both the Challenger in 1983 and 1984, logging 343 hours in space. A third flight was canceled when the Challenger exploded in 1986. He was in the commission of inquiry into the incident and later served on the panel for the 2003 Columbia shuttle accident, the only person on both boards.

The 20 anniversary of its first flight also coincided with the loss of Columbia, a bittersweet moment for the laughs, which are discussed in a 2003 interview with The Associated Press. He acknowledged that he was pushing to pass the anniversary of investigating the accident, which killed seven astronauts.

"But in another sense, it is a rewarding opportunity to be part of the solution and of the changes that will occur and improve the program," he said.

Later in the interview, focusing on science education and spoke of "being a role model and that is very visible."

"He was very intelligent," said former astronaut Norman Thagard, who was to walk the first flight. "We had a good time."

E 'was all the work on this first flight, with the exception of the first sprint in the space around the inside of the shuttle, Thagard invoked by telephone on Monday. I did not know who won.

One of the legacies Last Ride will allow high school students to take their own pictures of the Moon with cameras aboard the twin spacecraft of NASA Grail in a race for his business plan.

"Sally literally could do nothing with his life. He decided to dedicate his life to education and to inspire young people. For me, this is something very powerful. E incredibly admirable," said Maria Zuber , Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor who heads the mission of the Holy Grail.

Office Ride, Tam O'Shaughnessy said he survived by his partner of 27 years, his mother, Joyce, his sister, Bear, a niece and a nephew.