Meet the woman behind Google's inspirational Doodle
Meteorologist/Science Writer
Tuesday, May 26, 2015, 9:43 AM - If you checked Google anytime on Tuesday, May 26, you'd have seen one of five animated doodles pop up, celebrating the 64th birthday of Sally Ride. Here's the story behind this amazing woman.
Physicist. Educator. Author. First American woman in space, youngest American in space and first known LGTB astronaut.
Sally Ride flew on two missions on the Space Shuttle Challenger, spending more than 343 hours in orbit and becoming the first person to use the Canadarm to retrieve a satellite.
She was not only involved with investigating both shuttle accidents (Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003), but she founded NASA's Office of Exploration, and after retiring from NASA, she started her own company dedicated to inspiring young people to explore the fields of science, math, engineering and technology.
Although she passed away in 2012, today, May 26, 2015, Google celebrates what would have been Ride's 64th birthday with five doodles that highlight her accomplishments and the inspiration that she provided to countless people.
WATCH BELOW: Artist Olivia Huynh takes us on a journey through the life of Sally Ride, and the inspiration she had to produce today's amazing Google doodles.
Ride's partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy, penned a guest post on Google's blog today, in which she wrote:
Sally died almost three years ago on July 23, 2012, from pancreatic cancer. But I know she would be honored by today’s Google Doodle. With whimsy, it expresses Sally’s sense of fun and adventure, and her ability to inspire young people. And who knows—maybe her Doodle will motivate some girl or boy somewhere in the world to become a scientist and adventurer just like Sally.
Sally said it best . . .
"Everywhere I go I meet girls and boys who want to be astronauts and explore space, or they love the ocean and want to be oceanographers, or they love animals and want to be zoologists, or they love designing things and want to be engineers. I want to see those same stars in their eyes in 10 years and know they are on their way!"
Happy Birthday, Sally Ride!
