Sally Kristen Ride (May 26, 1951 – July 23, 2012) was an American physicist and astronaut. She is noteworthy for being the first female astronaut, and third woman in space after two Soviet cosmonauts. At age 32, she was also at the time the youngest American to travel in space, and is the first known bisexual astronaut. She has been given numerous awards and honors, including the highest award available to American civilians, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which was awarded posthumously a year after her death.
