Sally Ride

by Lynn Sherr

  Ride, Dale Burdell, xviii, 4, 5–6, 8, 9–10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 29, 33, 35, 52, 57, 92, 141, 150, 173, 256, 292, 319

  death of, 237

  progressive views on gender equality of, 11, 150, 237

  SKR’s close relationship with, 10, 27–28, 237

  SKR’s first space flight and, 158, 165

  SKR’s tennis-playing career and, 27–28, 35, 40, 194, 237

  Ride, Jennie Mae Richardson, 4, 12

  Ride, John, Jr., 2–3

  Ride, John, Sr., 3

  Ride, Karen “Bear,” xix, 10, 13, 17, 18, 24, 27, 35, 38, 39, 54, 139, 237, 244, 267, 279, 294, 312, 314, 321, 325, 334

  childhood of, 6–9, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19–20, 93

  homosexuality of, 292, 315

  as Presbyterian minister, 8, 18, 92–94, 138, 292, 315

  SKR’s first space flight and, 152, 153, 165

  SKR’s funeral and, 318–19

  SKR’s relationship with, 7–9, 93

  Ride, Sally Kristen, xi–xii, xvii–xxiii, 1, 30, 63, 119–20, 288, 301

  adolescence of, xiv, xx, 9, 19–28, 141

  ambitions of, 31, 35, 38, 56, 60, 96

  arms control research of, xiv, 231–34

  articles and papers of, xix, 26, 114, 234, 254

  in astronaut-candidate training program, 97–100, 101–5, 107, 108, 109–11, 112–15, 117, 118–19, 120–22, 123, 160

  athleticism of, 20–21, 22, 33, 35–36, 37, 40, 48, 58, 113, 118

  audio journals of, xxi, 115, 159, 160, 181

  author’s friendship with, xiv–xvii, xx, 115, 137, 171, 179, 185, 200–201, 203–4, 254, 259, 294, 297–98, 309

  author’s interviews with, xv, 122, 126, 209–10

  as avid sports fan, 12–13, 14, 15, 18, 41, 120, 135, 232

  awards and honors of, 168, 171, 198–99, 254, 284, 299, 324, 325, 326

  Bill Colson’s relationship with, 59–60, 83, 89, 95, 100–101, 118, 119, 120, 140, 293

  Billie Jean King as friend and mentor of, 56, 121, 239, 289–90, 297

  birth of, 6

  as “California girl,” 2, 24, 29, 32, 38, 39, 44, 101, 152, 157, 335

  calmness and poise of, xiv, 1–2, 27, 92, 113, 115, 116, 124–25, 127, 135, 155, 213, 246

  CalSpace appointment of, 235, 241, 257, 270

  cancer of, xvii, 301–14

  CapCom assignments of, 123–25, 127, 198

  car rides enjoyed by, 2, 23–24, 104, 114

  casual dress attire of, 59, 92, 115, 119, 131, 135, 138, 164, 171, 280, 318–19

  celebration honoring life of, 311, 325

  celebrity of, xiii, xvi, xxiii, 92, 130–33, 147, 148, 151, 168–76, 178–79, 180, 189, 190, 191, 217, 229, 234, 238, 242, 255, 262, 289–90, 300, 322, 325, 333, 335

  childhood of, xx, 6–18, 19, 20, 93, 157, 253, 322, 334

  children’s book collaborations of, xviii, xix, 48, 221–22, 223, 253–54, 257, 275, 294, 300, 313

  Columbia disintegration and, 278, 279–84

  competitive nature of, 40, 43, 113, 307

  cool detachment conveyed by, xv, xxi, 27, 34, 115, 116, 234, 237, 276, 298

  corporate boards served on by, 257, 260, 270–71, 285, 299, 308–10

  crewmates as supportive and protective of, 132–33, 149, 191

  death of, xiv, xix, 314, 318, 328, 333

  declining health of, 308, 309–14

  downside of fame experienced by, 174–76, 238

  EarthKAM project of, 250–52, 275, 296, 322–23

  educational outreach programs of, xii–xiii, xiv, xxii–xxiii, 228, 250–253, 255, 258, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266–68, 270, 275–76, 278, 285, 300, 302, 322–323, 324, 329, 332, 333, 336; see also Sally Ride Science

  emotionally guarded manner of, 9, 23, 37, 49, 50, 59, 115, 116, 118, 120–21, 142, 178, 191, 196, 197, 237, 240, 241, 295, 297, 298, 299, 311, 312, 334

  enduring legacy of, 322–28, 335

  environmentalist concerns of, 163, 226, 235, 250, 252–53, 273, 335

  expansion of female scientific roles sought by, xiv, 262, 264, 265, 266, 267, 268, 269, 270, 272, 273, 275, 276–77, 288, 300, 316, 318, 324, 325, 332, 333

  in fallouts with friends, 222–23, 260, 294

  family background of, 2–6, 9, 15, 319, 324

  father’s close relationship with, 10, 27–28, 237

  female equity and women’s rights championed by, xiv, xxi, 40, 43, 51, 114, 148, 177, 187, 192, 255, 262, 264, 266, 268–71, 276, 285, 288, 299, 316, 322

  as female role model, 148, 158, 173, 178, 185–87, 188, 190–91, 252, 268–69, 276, 312, 318, 319, 322, 323, 325, 326–27

  financial earnings of, 256–57

  first space mission of, see STS-7 mission

  “First U.S. Woman in Space” status of, xii, xiii, xvii, xviii, 11, 58, 126, 129–34, 176, 185, 186, 188, 277, 299, 318

  funeral of, 318–19

  heterosexual relationships of, 9, 37, 40–41, 42, 48–50, 51, 53, 59–60, 82, 83, 89, 95, 100–101, 118, 119, 120, 140, 266, 293; see also Hawley, Steve

  historic first crew selection of, 127–34

  in immediate aftermath of Challenger explosion, 202–4

  John Tompkins’s relationship with, see Tompkins, John

  leadership skills and management style of, 137, 219–20, 252, 258, 259, 271, 272, 323

  loyalty to NASA of, 191, 223, 229, 316, 317

  math interests of, 13, 19, 26, 31, 34, 35, 263, 366

  media’s treatment of, xviii, 92, 104, 110, 130–33, 147, 148–49, 150–51, 155, 159, 164, 168–70, 172, 174, 175

  militarization of space opposed by, 232–34

  mission training of, 124, 125, 132, 134–38, 140, 149, 150, 168, 189

  MoonKAM project of, xii–xiii, 251, 275–76, 309, 320, 321, 322, 323

  motherhood as viewed by, 141–42, 223, 240, 253

  mother’s relationship with, 10–11, 312, 334

  music enjoyed by, 21, 23, 36, 37, 164, 238, 306, 313, 319

  in NASA application and selection process, xx–xxi, 1–2, 24, 80–93, 122

  NASA’s long-range strategic planning report by, 215, 216–21, 224–28, 246, 335

  notebooks kept by, 22, 45, 112, 175–76, 178, 206, 207, 208, 211, 215, 218, 242, 265, 281, 303–4

  obituaries of, xix, 312, 314

  official NASA publicity tours of, 171–76, 179–86, 188, 190–91, 195, 199, 218

  personal letters written by, xx, 32–35, 36, 39, 41, 42, 43, 48–50, 53, 55–56, 89, 90, 235, 238

  physical appearance of, xvii, 7, 23, 45, 47, 261

  piloting skills of, 103–4, 118

  as pioneer for womankind, xiii, xxii, 61, 124, 148, 150, 151, 158, 159, 166, 173, 185–87, 199, 268, 269, 270, 276, 319, 322, 323, 324, 325, 328, 334

  political advisory roles of, xiv, 246–50, 285–87, 322

  political career prospects of, xiv, 247–48

  politics of, 33–34, 37–38, 48, 97, 172, 177, 232, 285, 292, 322

  posthumous tributes to, 321, 323, 324–26, 327–28, 330, 333, 334

  press conferences of, 92, 94–95, 131–33, 143, 147–50, 203

  privacy protected by, xv, xvii, xviii, xix, xx, xxi, xxiii, 32, 121, 132, 138, 139, 141–42, 147, 168, 222, 223, 228, 229, 231, 238, 277, 294, 295, 305, 309, 315, 318, 334

  as professor of physics, xiv, 235, 241–46, 255, 257, 260, 277, 295, 327

  public speaking of, 42, 114, 174, 222, 232, 233, 240, 252, 255–56, 257, 260, 262, 268, 273, 277, 280, 293, 314, 326, 331–32

  in refusal to appear on Bob Hope Show, 176–78, 179

  resignation from NASA of, 228–29, 230

  RMS training and expertise of, 112–13, 121, 123–124, 132–33, 161, 171, 179, 188, 190, 203

  on Rogers Commission, xvii, 204, 205–9, 210, 211–13, 214, 216, 218, 225, 280, 281, 283, 284

  romantic relationships of, xxi, 37; see also Colson, Bill; Gibson, Hoot; Hawley, Steve; O’Shaughnessy, Tam; Tompkins, John; Tyson, Molly

  Savitskaya’s secret encounters with,
180–81, 182–84, 234, 324

  schooling and education of, xviii, xx, 13, 14, 19, 22, 23–27, 28–29, 31, 32–33, 34–35, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43–46, 48, 52–53, 54, 56, 59–60, 79, 82, 83, 85, 89–90, 92, 95, 107, 235, 242, 256–57

  science as passion of, 13, 19–20, 25–27, 34–35, 39–40, 44, 45, 46, 48, 56, 60, 83, 186, 235, 236, 255, 262, 276, 277

  sense of humor and wit of, xv, xvi, xxi, 14, 24, 33, 41, 42, 54, 111, 120, 137, 227, 259, 311, 319, 321, 334

  sexual discrimination faced by, 26–27, 43, 45, 213, 265

  Shakespeare enjoyed by, 33, 45, 48, 52, 54

  Space.com venture and, 257–60, 263, 272, 277, 294

  Stanford CISAC fellowship of, 231–34, 236, 250, 327

  as Stanford University student, xviii, 42–48, 49, 51–54, 56, 57–58, 59–60, 79–81, 83, 85, 89, 91, 92, 95, 117, 194–95, 212, 265, 269, 291, 293

  Steve Hawley’s relationship with, see Hawley, Steve

  on STS-41G mission, 189–91

  at Swarthmore College, 25, 28–29, 30–31, 32–38, 39, 235, 326

  Tam O’Shaughnessy’s relationship with, see O’Shaughnessy, Tam, SKR’s relationship with

  teaching style of, 241, 242–45

  teamwork and collaboration skills of, xiv, xvi, 22, 46, 84–85, 90, 127, 128, 223, 335

  television appearances and interviews of, 18–19, 141–42, 150–51, 168, 185, 198, 230, 299

  television shows watched by, 6–7, 8, 17–18, 27, 47–48, 120, 308, 309, 314

  as TennisAmerica counselor, 54–56

  tennis-playing career of, xiv, xxiii, 16, 18, 20–22, 27–28, 29, 30–31, 33, 35–36, 38, 39–40, 46–48, 52, 55–56, 83, 90, 107, 113, 116, 193–94, 195, 235, 237, 266, 269, 299, 319, 322, 335

  therapy of, 175–76, 236

  at UCLA, 24, 39, 40–42, 82

  on views of Earth from space, 160, 162–64, 230, 255, 331

  on weightlessness in space, xxi, 114, 159–60, 172, 268, 314, 331, 335

  at Westlake School for Girls, 22, 23–27, 28, 90, 242

  White House visits of, xvii, 172–73

  written journals kept by, xx, 14–15, 184, 238

  Ride, Sally Kristen, homosexuality of, xvii, xxi–xxii, 51, 57–58, 121, 214, 289–94, 296, 314–18

  Molly Tyson relationship and, 50–54, 55, 57–59, 82, 117–18, 214, 291, 293, 297

  posthumous revelation of, xix, 314–16, 333–34

  secrecy of, xxi, 53–54, 55, 58, 82, 117–18, 197, 214, 229, 238, 289–90, 293–94, 295, 296–98, 305, 311–12, 315, 316, 317, 318

  Tam O’Shaughnessy relationship and, see O’Shaughnessy, Tam, SKR’s relationship with

  Ride, Sam, 3

  Ride, Thomas Vernam, 4, 12

  Ride, William, 3–4

  “Ride Report, The,” 215, 216–21, 224–28, 246, 335

  Riggs, Bobby, 56, 150

  Right Stuff, The, 327

  Riley, Steve, 333

  Rocky and Bullwinkle (TV cartoon), 8

  Roe, Dorothy, 71

  Rogers, William P., 204, 205, 211–12, 213

  Rogers Commission, xvii, 111, 204–9, 210, 211–13, 214, 216, 218, 225, 280, 281, 283, 284

  SKR’s observations of members in, 211–13

  Ross, Duane, 85

  Royal Society, 179–80

  Rubins, Kate, 327

  Russell and Ride Memorial Church, 15

  Russia, 4, 233, 250, 324

  see also Soviet Union

  Russian space program, 234, 286–87, 317, 326, 329

  see also Soviet space program

  Saarinen, Aline, 71

  Sachar, Emily, 258

  Sagan, Carl, 227, 331–32

  Salina (Kans.) Journal, 139

  Sally Ride Day, 171

  Sally Ride Impact Site, 320, 321–22

  Sally Ride Science (SRS), xiv, xx, 262–68, 272–75, 276–78, 288, 289, 295–96, 298, 300, 302, 305, 312, 315, 318, 332

  Academies of, 273, 323

  Cool Careers in Science series developed by, 272, 323

  enduring impact of, 323

  Festivals held by, 261, 266–68, 275, 277, 279–80, 314, 318, 323

  funding of, 272, 273–74

  MoonKAM project of, xiv, 251, 275–76, 309, 320, 321, 322, 323

  Sally Ride Science Club (website), 266, 275

  Sally Saves the Alphabet (video game), xxii–xxiii, 300

  same-sex marriages, xxi-xxii, 292, 305–6

  San Diego, University of, 175

  Sally Ride Festival at, 267

  San Fernando Valley, 16, 21, 23, 40

  San Francisco Giants, 13

  Santa Monica, Calif., 4, 5, 6, 12

  Santa Monica Community College (SMCC), 10, 11, 12, 31

  Santos, Genesis, xii–xiii

  Santy, Patricia, 116, 317

  Sartre, Jean-Paul, 24

  satellites, 76, 78, 161, 190, 200, 204, 218, 226, 233, 235, 275, 283, 320

  SPAS, 161

  Sputnik, 61–63, 97, 263

  Saturn rockets, 153

  Savitskaya, Svetlana, 146–47, 189–90, 324

  SKR’s secret encounters with, 180–81, 182–84, 234, 324

  Schirra, Wally, 63

  Schlafly, Phyllis, 132, 158

  Schroeder, Janet Mennie, 26, 31, 32, 35, 90

  Schwartz, Melvin, 42–43, 235, 244

  Science Engineering Research Facility (SERF), 251

  Scientific American, 19, 37, 234

  Scobee, Richard, 94, 201, 203

  Scott, Caitlin, 312, 334

  Scott, Claire, 334

  Scott, Rowan, 334

  Scott, Whit, 141, 152, 312, 334

  Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 241–42

  Seattle Science Center, 266

  Seddon, Margaret “Rhea,” 105, 107, 110, 114, 134, 140, 143, 144, 145, 191, 317, 328

  Seeger, Pete, 37

  Senate, U.S., 68, 75, 131, 142, 192, 250, 324

  Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation of, 246

  September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks of, 265

  Sesame Street (TV show), 151, 185

  sex discrimination, 26–27, 43, 68, 74, 107, 265, 270

  Shakespeare, William, 33, 45, 48, 52, 53, 54

  Shearer, Brooke, 231

  Shepard, Alan, 63, 64, 114, 145–46, 171, 177, 279

  Sherr, Shirley, 158

  Simon and Garfunkel, 37, 54

  Simulation Supervisor (SimSup), 136

  Skylab, 75

  Slayton, Deke, 63, 77

  Smith, Mike, 201

  Smith, Stan, 194

  Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, xxii

  Society of Women Engineers, 78

  Some Assembly Required (documentary), 274

  Somerville, Richard, 241–42, 249, 255

  Soviet space program, xxi, 17, 64, 65, 66, 68, 72, 75, 182–83, 225, 233–34

  female astronauts in, xiii, 70–71, 146–47, 159, 180–81, 182–84, 189–90, 234

  Sputnik satellites launched by, 61–63, 97, 263

  see also Russian space program

  Soviet Union, 19, 64, 159, 180, 231, 232, 250

  Tompkins’s research sojourn in, 41, 49, 50

  see also Russia

  Soyuz 7, 146

  space adaptation syndrome (SAS), 130, 160, 183

  Space Camp, 252, 255

  Space.com, 257–60, 263, 272, 277, 283, 294

  SpaceKids (website), 258

  space shuttle program, xiv–xv, 75–77, 89, 103, 111, 126–27, 146, 180, 218, 242, 247, 248, 317, 326, 327, 329

  astronaut-candidate training for, see astronaut-candidate training program

  astronaut selection process in, 77, 78, 83–91

  Augustine Committee on future of, 285–87

  Challenger explosion and, see Challenger explosion

  Columbia disintegration and, 279–84

  Columbia’s first launch in, 122–23

  crew selections in, 110–12, 122, 124, 125, 127–29, 130–31, 133, 188–89

 
design of spacecraft in, 76–77

  inflight waste management in, 143, 164

  1978 astronaut candidate class for, see Thirty-five New Guys

  post-Challenger restructuring of, 210, 218

  SKR’s application for, 80–83, 122

  SKR’s CapCom assignments in, 123–25, 127, 198

  SKR’s historic first flight for, see STS-7 mission

  touted accomplishments of, 199–200

  women and minorities recruited for, 77, 78–80, 85, 88, 94, 105, 109, 126–27, 229, 326

  see also National Aeronautics and Space Administration

  Space Transportation System, 75–77, 122–23

  see also space shuttle program; specific STS missions

  space travel, 61–63, 67, 97, 115, 299, 329

  Earth as viewed in, 125, 160, 162–64, 230, 230, 255, 256, 263, 331

  International Space Station and, xxii, 251, 286, 323, 324, 326, 327, 329

  militarization of, 62, 231, 232–34

  NASA’s role in downplaying risks and “normalizing” of, 77, 98, 117, 200, 201, 209, 210

  private industry in, 330

  risks in, 66, 89, 97, 115–16, 154, 280

  Russian programs in, see Russian space program; Soviet space program

  space adaptation syndrome in, 130, 160, 183

  U.S. programs in, see National Aeronautics and Space Administration; space shuttle program; U.S. space program

  U.S.-Soviet race in, 63, 64–66, 68, 70, 72, 75, 329

  weightlessness in, xxi, 66, 113, 125, 146, 159–60, 164, 172, 268, 314, 328, 331, 335

  see also astronauts; specific missions and shuttles

  spacewalks, 189–90, 283, 284, 327

  SPAS-01 (Shuttle Pallet Satellite), 161

  Sportswoman, 195

  Sputnik, 61–63, 97, 263

  Stanford Daily, 60, 326

  Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), 42–43

  Stanford Observatory, 45

  Stanford University, xviii, 42–48, 49, 51–54, 57–58, 79–81, 85, 91, 92, 101, 117, 152, 194–95, 198, 212, 229, 233, 234, 235, 244, 253, 265, 269, 291, 293, 324, 326

  campus of, 44

  Center for Research on Women at, 79

  Gay Students Union at, 51

  physics department at, 42–43, 44–45, 57, 95

  SKR’s CISAC fellowship at, 231–34, 236, 250, 327

  SKR’s graduate work at, 45–46, 48, 52–53, 54, 56, 59–60, 79, 81, 82, 83, 89, 95, 256–57

  SKR’s tennis playing at, 46–48

  Star Trek (TV show), 27, 48, 79, 120

  Star Wars (film), 89

  State Department, U.S., 10, 179, 181

  Steinem, Gloria, 19, 158, 198

  STEM education, 264, 273, 275, 316, 332