Sally Ride, first US woman in space dead at 61

WASHINGTON: Sally Ride, the first US woman to fly in space, died on Monday after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer, her foundation announced. She was 61.

Ride first launched into space in 1983 aboard the Challenger shuttle, on the seventh mission of US space shuttle program.

In a statement, US President Barack Obama called her a "national hero and a powerful role model," and a woman who "inspired generations of young girls to reach for the stars."

"Sally's life showed us that there are no limits to what we can achieve and I have no doubt that her legacy will endure for years to come," Obama said, offering condolences to Ride's family and friends.

Ride, born May 26, 1951, in Encino, California, earned degrees in physics and English from Stanford University.

She applied to be an astronaut at US space agency NASA in 1977, after seeing an ad in her university's student newspaper. It was the first time the space agency was allowing applications from civilians -- or from women.

Ride was one of 35 people, including just six women, chosen from a pool of 8,000 applicants.

She flew in two space missions, logging nearly 350 hours in space. However, her third planned mission was grounded in 1986, after the tragic Challenger explosion that killed all seven crew members.

Ride served on the commission to investigate the accident, and later was assigned to NASA headquarters. She retired from NASA in 1987. (AFP)