Former NASA Astronaut Steve Hawley Remembers Sally Ride's Dedication to Students

July 23, 2012

Bob Jacobs
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
bob.jacobs@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 12-253

FORMER NASA ASTRONAUT STEVE HAWLEY REMEMBERS SALLY RIDE'S DEDICATION TO STUDENTS

WASHINGTON -- The following is a statement from former NASA astronaut
Steve Hawley regarding the death of fellow astronaut Sally Ride.
Hawley was selected into the astronaut corps in 1978 and was married
to Ride from 1982 until 1987. A veteran of five space shuttle
flights, he left the agency in 2008 and now is Professor of Physics
and Astronomy at the University of Kansas, Lawrence.

"Sally was a very private person who found herself a very public
persona. It was a role in which she was never fully comfortable. I
was privileged to be a part of her life and be in a position to
support her as she became the first American woman to fly in space.

While she never enjoyed being a celebrity, she recognized that it gave
her the opportunity to encourage children, particularly young girls,
to reach their full potential.

Sally Ride, the astronaut and the person, allowed many young girls
across the world to believe they could achieve anything if they
studied and worked hard. I think she would be pleased with that
legacy."

For more information about Ride and her NASA career, visit:

http://go.nasa.gov/Ocn6h7

For more information about Hawley, visit:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/hawley.html


-end-



To subscribe to the list, send a message to:
hqnews-subscribe@mediaservices.nasa.gov
To remove your address from the list, send a message to:
hqnews-unsubscribe@mediaservices.nasa.gov