2-839-771 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Flight jacket belonging to Sally K. Ride, ca. 1983. Dr. Sally K. Ride became the first American woman in space when she flew on the STS-7 shuttle mission in 1983. Her second and last space mission was STS-41G in 1984. Shuttle astronauts wore this type of flight jacket to work and public appearances. The decorations told the individual's story. Here, the leather nametag identifies the mission on which Ride earned her astronaut wings, STS-7. The patch across the chest indicates that she was one of 35 astronauts selected in 1978 as the first group chosen for the space shuttle program. On the right shoulder is the patch for her other mission. The American flag and NASA logo patches appear on all astronaut uniforms.