WASHINGTON, D.C. (WOFL FOX 35 ORLANDO) -
Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, has died. She was 61. NASA confirmed her death Monday afternoon. Her office says she died of pancreatic cancer.
Born May 26, 1951, in Los Angeles, Ride received from Stanford University a bachelor of science in Physics and a bachelor of arts in English in 1973, and master of science and doctorate degrees in Physics in 1975 and 1978, respectively.
She was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in January 1978 and traveled into space on the shuttle Challenger in 1983 when she was 32.
President Barack Obama calls her a national hero and a "powerful role model" who inspired generations of young girls and advocated for a greater focus on science and math in the nation's schools.
