Patch, Commemorative, STS-7, 20th Anniversary, Sally Ride

Object Details

Owner
Sally K. Ride
Summary
This twentieth anniversary STS-7 patch was owned by Dr. Sally K. Ride. STS-7 was historic for making Ride the first American woman in space in 1983. The original STS-7 patch's design, in the center, incorporates the shuttle's large robotic "arm" bent in the shape of a seven, signifying the mission number. The starburst below the shuttle uses gender symbols, four male and one female, to create a five-pointed star representing the crew members. To celebrate the important milestone, Ride's name and "First U.S. Woman in Space" were added a red border on the anniversary patch.
Sally Ride became the first American woman in space when she flew aboard STS-7 in 1983. Her second and last space mission was STS-41G in 1984. A physicist with a Ph.D., she joined the astronaut corps in 1978 as a part of the first class of astronauts recruited specifically for the Space Shuttle Program. Viewed as a leader in the NASA community, she served on the Rogers Commission after the Challenger disaster in 1986 as well as the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) in 2003. She also led the task force that produced a visionary strategic planning report in 1987 titled, “NASA Leadership and America’s Future in Space,” but known popularly as the Ride Report.
After she retired from NASA in 1987, Dr. Ride taught first at Stanford and later at the University of California, San Diego. Until her death in 2012, she was president and CEO of Sally Ride Science, a company that promoted science education.
Dr. Ride’s partner, Dr. Tam O’Shaughnessy, donated the patch to the Museum in 2013.
Country of Origin
United States of America
See more items in
National Air and Space Museum Collection
Credit Line
Gift of Tam O'Shaughnessy
Data Source
National Air and Space Museum
Inventory Number
A20140306000
Type
MEMORABILIA-Events
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Materials
Fabric
Embroidery Thread
Heat Seal Backing
Dimensions
Overall: 0.3 × 11.4cm (1/8 × 4 1/2 in.)
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/nv95d39ecfd-7bc6-4b7d-89d6-70da91ba5047
Record ID
nasm_A20140306000