who was the first american woman to travel into space
Sally Kristen Ride (May 26, 1951 â July 23, 2012) was an American physicist and astronaut. Born in Los Angeles, she joined NASA in 1978 and became the first American woman in space in 1983. She remains the youngest American astronaut to have traveled to space, having done so at the age of 32.
Sally Ride, 1st American Woman in Space, Dies at 61. by Clara Moskowitz, SPACE.com Assistant Managing Editor | July 23, 2012 05:11pm ET. The first U.S. woman in space, Sally Ride, monitors control panels from the pilot's chair on the Flight Deck of the STS-7 mission.