Sally Ride NASA US Astronaut - Launching Into History

NASA - Launching Into History

On June 18, 1983, a young physicist from California took her seat aboard the space shuttle and launched into history.

On that date, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space as a mission specialist on STS-7. In this image

Ride monitors control panels from the pilot's chair on the Flight Deck.

Unfortunately this was a full 20 years after the USSR cosmonauts, due to rampant masogyny in the US and NASA.

Image Credit: NASA