Astronaut Sally Ride's BD is today. Reading about her, found this site which was surprised that hadn't found erst now.

[SorellaLaBefana]

Each time a girl opens a book and reads a womanless history, she learns she is worth less.

Myra Pollack Sadker
Professor, Author, Researcher, and Activist

https://www.womenshistory.org

It is the website of the National Women's History Museum (a "museum without walls", ie online, founded in 1996)

This is from the entry on Sally Ride

Sally Ride was the first American woman in space. She made her journey into history on June 18, 1983. Throughout her life, Dr. Ride broke barriers and worked to ensure that girls and women were encouraged to do the same...

Ride was one of five crew members aboard the space shuttle Challenger STS-7. On June 18, 1983, she became the first American woman in space and the youngest American in space at that time. The mission took one week to complete. Before her launch, Dr. Ride was interviewed several times about her preparation for going into space. Among questions about her training, she was also asked questions about how space was going to affect her ability to reproduce, and what kind of makeup she was going to take on the mission. She handled the questions with grace and later said, “It’s too bad this is such a big deal. It’s too bad our society isn’t further along.”...

She passed away on July 23, 2012 after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 61. During her life, Ride kept her personal life private. She married fellow astronaut Steve Hawley in 1982, but they divorced in 1987. After her passing, Tam O’Shaughnessy opened up about their 27-year relationship. They met as children while competing in tennis competitions, remained close friends, and the friendship blossomed into love. Ride and O’Shaughnessy were open about their relationship as partners and as business partners, especially toward the end of Ride’s life. Not only is Ride the first American woman in space, she is also the first acknowledged gay astronaut. In 2013, President Obama posthumously honored Ride with a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and O’Shaughnessy accepted the award.

Dr. Sally Ride was passionate about improving science education and helping young women and girls foster an interest in science. One of her endeavors was Imaginary Lines, which supports girls interested in math, science, and technology. She also wrote seven children’s books with space exploration themes. She and O’Shaughnessy established Sally Ride Science, a nonprofit organization that encourages children from all backgrounds to take an interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Even after her death, Sally Ride’s legacy inspires people to reach for the stars.

https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sally-ride#:~:text=Ride%20was%20a%20member%20of,kept%20her%20personal%20life%20private.

Reaching for the stars, especially for those who are not white (and at least ostensibly cis) men is definitely ad astra per aspera—

—to the stars through suffering.

Doctor Sally truly was a pathfinder. Unfortunately it is now even more true that, as she said "It's too bad our society isn’t further along.”

[littlemissmartypants]

1. National Geographic Documentary Films Unveils Trailer for Award-Winning SALLY Documentary