Sally Ride, first US woman in space, has died

[obamanut2012]

From pancreatic cancer. I remember her first flight.

http://news.yahoo.com/sally-ride-first-us-woman-space-dead-61-212809122.html

Please excuse me being a bit sentimental and posting a poem written about the death of fighter pilots during WWI. I think it's appropriate here.

High Flight by John Magee



Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunwards I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds – and done a thousand things

You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hovering there,

I’ve chased the shouting wind along and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air,

Up, up the long delirious burning blue

I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace,

Where never lark, or even eagle, flew;

And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand, and touched the face of god.