Sally Ride

Sally Ride was the first woman astronaut. Sally was born in Los Angeles. She spent her hours practicing tennis. She became one of the best junior players in the United States. Sally met this women who influence her life. She played tennis all through college. Billy Jean King one the world's best tennis players saw her play. But she decided on science. Sally earned a doctorate degree in Astrophysics from Stanford University. She read an advertisement (NASA) was looking for astronauts. Out of over 8,000 they choose 35. Dr. Sally Ride and five other woman were chosen to become astronauts. Sally learned how to live and work in space. She was learning how to use a giant robot arm. Sally got her chance to go into space with five astronauts she flew on the shuttle challenger's seventh mission. Sally, the first American woman to go into space, works at Stanford University where she teaches science.

image courtesy of NASA

1998, by Eric, fourth grade

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