Sally Ride: America's First Woman in Space

In honor of America's 250th birthday and American Icons month (in a cool, liberal way), we're celebrating the trailblazers who helped shape the country, and few reached greater heights than Sally Ride. This week, we're telling the story of the physicist who became the first American woman in space, broke through one of the world's most exclusive boys' clubs, and inspired generations of girls to dream bigger.

But behind the headlines was a woman who fiercely guarded her private life. For nearly three decades, Sally shared her life with her partner, Tam O'Shaughnessy, a relationship the public didn't learn about until after Sally's death. We explore why she chose privacy, what it meant to be a gay woman navigating fame in the 1980s and '90s, and how her legacy extends far beyond her historic spaceflight.

From NASA missions and media scrutiny to quiet courage and lasting impact, this is the story of an American icon whose influence is still reaching for the stars.

Created and produced by Tess Bellomo & Claire Donald

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