The first American woman to enter space was Sally Ride. She flew aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger on June 18, 1983, during the STS-7 mission, becoming not only the first American woman in space but also the third woman overall, following Soviet cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova and Svetlana Savitskaya. Ride’s historic journey lasted nearly six days, during which she participated in various scientific experiments and operations. Her achievement has inspired generations of young women to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). After her space career, Ride became a physicist and educator, promoting science education and inspiring future space explorers.