Sally Ride Dead at 61 -- America's First Female Astronaut Dies of Pancreatic Cancer

Sally Ride -- the first American woman to enter space -- died today in California after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Sally's company, Sally Ride Science, made the announcement. Sally was 61.

Ride joined NASA in 1978, and in 1983 became the first American woman to enter space. At the time, she was also the youngest American to enter space at age 32.

In 1987, Sally left NASA to work at Stanford's Center for International Security and Arms Control.

R.I.P.