Trailblazing NASA Astronaut Mary Cleave Dies at 76

First Woman to Head NASA's Science Division and First to Fly Post-Challenger, Cleave Leaves Lasting Legacy

Mary Cleave, the first woman to head NASA's science division and the first woman to fly on a space shuttle mission after the Challenger disaster, has died at the age of 76.
Cleave was a member of NASA's ninth group of astronauts selected in 1980 and became the 10th woman to fly into space.
She flew twice on the space shuttle, logging a total of 10 days and 22 hours in Earth orbit.
During her career, Cleave also served as the associate administrator for NASA's science mission directorate, guiding an array of research and scientific exploration programs.
She retired from NASA in 2007 and was recognized with numerous awards for her service to the U.S. space program.