Jacket, In-Flight Suit, Shuttle, Sally Ride, STS-7

Astronaut Sally K. Ride wore these clothes during the six-day STS-7 Space Shuttle mission aboard Challenger in June 1983, when she became the first U.S. woman in space. As a mission specialist in the first five-member Shuttle crew, she operated a variety of orbiter systems and experiment payloads. She participated in the launch of two commercial communications satellites and also operated the remote manipulator system arm to maneuver, release, and retrieve a free-flying satellite. The early Shuttle mission astronauts had a NASA-issued wardrobe of identical blue cotton-blend jackets, trousers, shorts and knit shirts with attached NASA logo and mission patches.Dr. Ride presented her in-flight suit to the Museum in a ceremony shortly after the STS-7 mission.