On June 18, 1983, NASA astronaut Sally Ride broke through the ultimate glass ceiling, blasting into orbit on the shuttle Challenger as part of the crew of mission STS-7. Since her history-making flight, 39 female NASA astronauts have followed her into space, including shuttle commanders and an International Space Station commander.

After a second shuttle flight in 1984 and other roles at NASA, Ride returned to her passion for inspiring young people. She's written several books and founded Sally Ride Science, a company dedicated to supporting students and their interest in math and science.