Sally's Night
Join the National Air and Space Museum for Sally's Night to explore the wonder of our universe and shine the light on women in STEM. Attend in person events, use the Sally's Night Celebration Guide, full of activities for the whole family, to join the celebration from wherever you are, and share on social media how you #ShineLikeSally.
Jump to a Section: Celebrate Anywhere Who Was Sally Ride Women in STEM
Sally Ride lived her life with extraordinary energy, passion, curiosity and joy. All astronauts lead exciting lives, but some are larger than life even before they reach for the stars. Whether in the classroom or on the tennis court, in the lab or on the launch pad—it was clear from the start that Dr. Ride would reach great heights.
Each June we mark the anniversary of one exciting episode of Sally’s extraordinary life—the first night she looked back at Earth from space and experienced the special exhilaration and joy that energy, focus, and passion can bring to those who reach for the stars. Early interests and clear role models can lead to excellence in any field—particularly science, technology, engineering, and math, where not even the sky's the limit.
This June, in celebration of this anniversary, we invite everyone, everywhere to join Sally’s Night. Celebrate and share what about space and science brings you energy, passion, curiosity, and joy. Whatever your passion, whoever you are, tell us how you #ShineLikeSally on social media and use our celebration guide to explore space and science with your family and friends.
Celebrate from Anywhere
We invite everyone, everywhere to join Sally’s Night. Learn about women and underrepresented genders in STEM and share what about space and science brings you energy, passion, curiosity, and joy. Whatever your passion, whoever you are, tell us how you #ShineLikeSally on social media and use our celebration guide to explore space and science with your family and friends.
Who Was Sally Ride?
Dr. Sally Kristen Ride was a physicist, astronaut, educator, and advocate for young people in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Best remembered as the first American woman in space, Ride’s tenure as an astronaut was but one chapter in a long and impactful career.
As a high school student at Westlake School in Los Angeles, Ride excelled in the classroom and on the tennis court, where she was captain of the tennis team. She studied at Stanford University for eight years, earning bachelor’s degrees (1973), and a master’s degree (1975) and doctorate (1978) in physics.
Ride was accepted to the astronaut corps in 1978 as a member of Astronaut Group 8—NASA’s first astronaut class to include women. On June 18, 1983, when Dr. Sally K. Ride became the first American woman in space, she challenged long-held stereotypes about who would make a good astronaut. Ride spent more than two weeks in space over the course of two missions, STS-7 and STS-41G. Ride operated one of the Space Shuttle’s most important tools—the robotic arm—and loved taking photos of Earth from space.
When Ride retired from NASA in 1987, she dedicated herself to educating and inspiring learners. For more than 18 years she taught physics at the University of California San Diego. In 2001, Ride founded Imaginary Lines (now Sally Ride Science) with her partner, Dr. Tam O’Shaughnessy, to inspire girls and young women to explore science careers.
Shining a Light on Women in STEM
As a learner and an educator, Sally understood the power of role models to inspire young people to explore their own interests and talents. Meet these inspiring role models who shine through science. Let us know who inspires you on social media using #ShineLikeSally!
Spotlight on Women in STEM
Spotlight on Women in STEM
This project received Federal support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative Pool, administered by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.