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