Sally Ride, First US Woman In Space, Dies At 61 - NewsChannel5.com | Nashville News, Weather & Sports

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, has died. She was 61.

NASA confirmed her death Monday afternoon and President Barack Obama called her a national hero.

Her office in San Diego said she died of pancreatic cancer.

Ride rode into space on the shuttle Challenger in 1983 when she was 32.

© 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.