Google Doodle Celebrates Sally Ride, 1st American Woman in Space

— -- Sally Ride, the first American woman to travel to space, is celebrated in today's Google Doodle on what would have been the barrier-breaking astronaut's 64th birthday.

A series of five different animations are shown each time people visit Google's home page to pay homage to Ride, who, after her space travels, became a professor and dedicated her life to inspiring young people, especially girls, to pursue science, technology, engineering and math careers.

Ride's life partner, Tam O'Shaughnessy, said Ride, who died of pancreatic cancer on July 23, 2012, would have been honored by Google's tribute.

"With whimsy, it expresses Sally’s sense of fun and adventure, and her ability to inspire young people," O'Shaughnessy said in a blog post. "And who knows -- maybe her Doodle will motivate some girl or boy somewhere in the world to become a scientist and adventurer just like Sally."