41 Sally Kristen Ride Quotes (WOMAN ASTRONAUT)

In the dynamic narrative of space exploration and human achievement, few names sparkle as brightly as Sally Kristen Ride. Known for her groundbreaking role as America’s first woman in space, Ride’s legacy continues to inspire generations of dreamers, particularly young women in STEM fields.

These quotes are not just recollections of a historic space flight; they are pearls of wisdom from a woman who dared to break the glass ceiling, forever altering our perception of gender roles and our potential to reach for the stars. They provide insights into courage, determination, and the guiding principles that shaped Ride’s extraordinary life.

Whether you’re a space enthusiast, an aspiring astronaut, or simply someone inspired by the power of breaking barriers, these quotes will challenge your thinking, deepen your understanding, and inspire you to shatter your boundaries.

Top 7 Most Famous Sally Kristen Ride Quotes to Empower You

“The view of earth is absolutely spectacular, and the feeling of looking back and seeing your planet as a planet is just an amazing feeling. It’s a totally different perspective, and it makes you appreciate, actually, how fragile our existence is.”
Sally Ride

All adventures, especially into new territory, are scary. — All **adventures**, especially into new territory, are scary.

If we want scientists and engineers in the future, we should be cultivating the girls as much as the boys. — If we want scientists and engineers in the **future**, we should be cultivating the girls as much as the boys.

It takes a couple of years just to get the background and knowledge that you need before you can go into detailed training for your mission. — It takes a couple of years just to get the background and **knowledge** that you need before you can go into detailed training for your mission.

Our future lies with today's kids and tomorrow's space exploration. — Our **future** lies with today’s kids and tomorrow’s space exploration.

Yes, I did feel a special responsibility to be the first American woman in space. — Yes, I did feel a special **responsibility** to be the first American woman in space.

If it wasn't for the women's movement, I wouldn't be where I am today. — If it wasn’t for the women’s movement, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

34 Best Inspirational Sally Ride Quotes About Life and Space Travel

“I’ve discovered that half the people would love to go into space and there’s no need to explain it to them. The other half can’t understand and I couldn’t explain it to them. If someone doesn’t know why, I can’t explain it.”
Sally Ride

I have been a bit of a risk taker all my life.

Even though NASA tries to simulate launch, and we practice in simulators, it's not the same - it's not even close to the same. — Even though NASA tries to simulate launch, and we practice in simulators, it’s not the same – it’s not even close to the same.

When you're getting ready to launch into space, you're sitting on a big explosion waiting to happen. — When you’re getting ready to launch into space, you’re sitting on a big explosion waiting to happen.

The thing I'll remember most about the flight is that it was fun. In fact, I'm sure it was the most fun that I'll ever have in my life. — The thing I’ll remember most about the flight is that it was fun. In fact, I’m sure it was the most fun that I’ll ever have in my life.

“I didn’t go into it to be a role model. But I think it’s important for little girls growing up, and young women, to have one in every walk of life. So from that point of view, I’m proud to be a role model!”
Sally Ride

I never went into physics or the astronaut corps to become a role model. But after my first flight, it became clear to me that I was one. — I never went into physics or the **astronaut** corps to become a role model. But after my first flight, it became clear to me that I was one.

I suggest taking the high road and have a little sense of humor and let things roll off your back. I think that's very important. — I suggest taking the high road and have a little sense of **humor** and let things roll off your back. I think that’s very important.

Once you are assigned to a flight, the whole crew is assigned at the same time, and then that crew trains together for a whole year to prepare for that flight.

“I’m not a goal-oriented person. I don’t look out into the future and say, ‘Five or ten years from now, this is what I want to be doing, this is where I want to be.’ I’m very much a person who gets very, very involved in whatever I happen to be doing now.”
Sally Ride

Try to understand who you are and what you want to do, and don't be afraid to go down that road and do whatever it takes and work as hard as you have to work to achieve that. — Try to understand who you are and what you want to do, and don’t be afraid to go down that road and do whatever it takes and **work as hard as you have to work** to achieve that.

If I think I've accomplished what I set out to accomplish, then that's achievement. — If I think I’ve accomplished what I set out to accomplish, then that’s achievement.

Women and men go through exactly the same jobs on orbit. Weightlessness is a great equalizer.

“Astronauts will remain the explorers, the pioneers-the first to go back to moon and on to Mars. But I think it’s really important to make space available to as many people as we can. It’s going to be a while before we can launch people for less than $20 million a ticket. But that day is coming.”
Sally Ride

I would like to be remembered as someone who was not afraid to do what she wanted to do, and as someone who took risks along the way in order to achieve her goals.

There are lots of opportunities out there for women to work in these fields; girls just need support, encouragement and mentoring to follow through with the sciences. — There are lots of opportunities out there for women to work in these fields; girls just need support, **encouragement** and **mentoring** to follow through with the sciences.

“The most important steps that I followed were studying math and science in school. I was always interested in physics and astronomy and chemistry and I continued to study those subjects through high school and college on into graduate school. That’s what prepared me for being an astronaut; it actually gave me the qualifications to be selected to be an astronaut.”
Sally Ride

The space shuttle is a better and safer rocket than it was before the Challenger accident.

After the Challenger accident, NASA put in a lot of time to improve the safety of the space shuttle to fix the things that had gone wrong.

I liked math - that was my favorite subject - and I was very interested in astronomy and in physical science. — I liked math – that was my favorite subject – and I was very interested in astronomy and in physical science.

“Science is fun. Science is curiosity. We all have a natural curiosity. Science is a process of investigating. It’s posing questions and coming up with a method. It’s delving in.”
Sally Ride

The experience of being in space didn't change my perspective of myself or of the planet or of life. I had no spiritual experience. — The experience of being in space didn’t change my perspective of myself or of the planet or of life. I had no spiritual experience.

I can't remember a single time [my parents] ever told me not to do something I wanted to do. — I can’t remember a single time [my parents] ever told me not to do something I wanted to do.

“My parents must have done a great job. Anytime I wanted to pursue something that they weren’t familiar with, that was not part of their lifestyle, they let me go ahead and do it.”
Sally Ride

I think there probably is life, maybe primitive life, in outer space. There might be very primitive life in our solar system — single-cell animals, that sort of thing.

The stars don't look bigger, but they do look brighter. — The stars don’t look bigger, but they do look brighter.

Well, we spend an awful lot of our time working and doing experiments. It's very busy up on the shuttle. — Well, we spend an awful lot of our **time** working and doing experiments. It’s very busy up on the shuttle.

“The pressure suit helps if something goes wrong during launch or re-entry – astronauts have a way to parachute off the shuttle. The suits protect you from loss of pressure in case of emergency.”
Sally Ride

Rocket science is tough, and rockets have a way of failing.

The most anxious time was during launch, just because that is so dramatic.

Studying whether there's life on Mars or studying how the universe began, there's something magical about pushing back the frontiers of knowledge. — Studying whether there’s life on Mars or studying how the universe began, there’s something magical about pushing back the frontiers of **knowledge**.

But when I wasn't working, I was usually at a window looking down at Earth. — But when I wasn’t working, I was usually at a window looking down at Earth.

“I think maybe it’s too bad that our society isn’t further along and this is such a big deal. I think it’s time… that people realize that women in this country can do any job they want to do.”
Sally Ride

Sally Ride Short Biography

Born on May 26, 1951, in Encino, Las Angeles, California, United States Sally Kristen Ride was the first American woman in space.

During her time in college, she had seen an advertisement from NASA in her school newspaper. Thanks to her natural athletic prowess, she was able to use this to her advantage during her training.

She was chosen out of 8,000 student applicants and was one of 6 women who were chosen for NASA’s class of 1978. She became part of NASA Astronaut Group 8, the first NASA class to include women.

Sally Ride had graduated training in 1979, after which she was eligible to work as a mission specialist, she then gathered some experience working as a ground-based capsule communicator, and had a hand in developing the Space Shuttle’s “Canadarm”, a robot arm.

On June 18, 1983, Ride became the first American woman in space as a crew member for the Challenger STS-7 shuttle.

After her retirement, she served as Director of the California Space Science Institute. She had also worked as a physicist and physics professor at the University of California, San Diego. She had also served as a member of the Advisory Board of the National Women’s History Museum.

Her many numerous contributions include; the Sally Ride Science, a nonprofit organization centered on encouraging children from all backgrounds to pursue courses in science, technology, engineering, and math. She is also an author of several children’s books with themes of space exploration.

Further reading:

Sally Ride, And the Sexist Questions She Was Asked – The Verge
Eight Inspiring Career Lessons from the Life of Sally Ride – Forbes
How Sally Ride Blazed a Trail for Women in Space– National Geographic
After Death, Sally Ride Reveals She Was Gay – Reuters

Here are the best Sally Kristen Ride quotes so you can be empowered to be a confident woman in the male-dominated workforce.

(MUST READ)

Sally Ride: America's First Woman in Space — **Sally Ride: America’s First Woman in Space**

Also read:

Top 7 Most Famous Sally Kristen Ride Quotes to Empower You

34 Best Inspirational Sally Ride Quotes About Life and Space Travel

Sally Ride Short Biography

Top 11 Sergei Krikalev Quotes (USSR COSMONAUT)

Top 43 Astronaut Chris Hadfield Quotes (CANADIAN)