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  • Approved for CNN

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    Posted June 15, 2011 by
    technorican
    Location
    NASA-KSC, Florida
    Assignment
    Assignment
    This iReport is part of an assignment:
    The final shuttle

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    STS-7 Sally Ride's Challenger in 1983

    By technorican  |  Posted June 15, 2011  |  NASA-KSC, Florida
     

    CNN PRODUCER NOTE     technorican submitted these photos she shot on June 17 and 18, 1983, of the Shuttle Challenger carrying the first female U.S. astronaut into space. 'As a teenager I had wanted to be the first Puerto Rican astronaut at a time when women were not considered capable. I grew up hearing women had certain roles and their dreams didn't come true,' she said. 'Seeing the launch was a confirmation of what I had held onto -- women could achieve their dreams.'
    - jmsaba, CNN iReport producer

    There were various signs in1983 that proudly announced: "Ride, Sally Ride!"  At 7:33 a.m. EDT on June 18, Sally Ride, the first U.S. female astronaut launched into space. I had driven down from New Jersey to view this historic event. My hometown, South River, had a cable TV station and was looking for programming. There was no money involved. It was purely voluntary but I seized the opportunity to get in as Press at NASA-KSC.

     

    After the flawless launch, we had 6 days before the much anticipated historic first landing at KSC's new Shuttle Landing Facility. After a few days of touring, I returned for the big event. I spent the night looking for photo ops as I tried to stay awake. Fog wafted through the darkness as we eagerly waited. We tried to blow it away but the weather won. Challenger landed in California just before 10:00 a.m. PDT at Edwards AFB.

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