A little reason to celebrate
Sally Ride Day
History ยท May 26
Sally Ride Day honors the astronaut who became the first American woman in space and later encouraged young people to study science.
Sally Ride Day falls on Wednesday, May 26, 2027. That is 211 days away.
Sally Ride was an American astronaut and physicist, and the first American woman to travel into space. She flew aboard the space shuttle Challenger as a mission specialist, helping operate the shuttle's robotic arm.
Before NASA, she studied physics at Stanford University, earning a doctorate. She also had a serious talent for tennis and played at a competitive level as a young woman. Those details make her easier to picture as a person than as a name in a textbook: someone curious, athletic and good at hard problems.
After leaving NASA, she worked as a professor and spent much of her energy on getting kids, especially girls, interested in science and math. She co-founded a company devoted to science education and wrote books for young readers about space and the planet.
People often mark the day by reading about her, sharing her story with children, or doing a bit of hands-on science at home. Her children's books are a natural starting point, and many libraries carry them. A clear night is useful too. Looking up and finding the Moon or a bright planet is a small, direct way to connect with the work she cared about.
She also served on the panels that investigated both space shuttle accidents, bringing the same careful thinking to the hardest questions her field ever faced.
Ways to celebrate
- Read one of Sally Ride's children's books about space with a young reader.
- Look for her biography at your local library.
- Step outside on a clear night and find the Moon or a planet.
- Try a simple kitchen science experiment with kids.
- Share a short story about her life with friends or students.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Tuesday, May 26 |
| 2027 | Wednesday, May 26 |
| 2028 | Friday, May 26 |
| 2029 | Saturday, May 26 |
| 2030 | Sunday, May 26 |
Also on May 26
Categories: History days