Sally Ride Collection Hits the Auction Block

Nate D. Sanders Auctions has announced the highly anticipated auction of the Sally Ride Estate Collection chronicling astronaut Sally Ride’s groundbreaking journey from a Stanford-trained physicist to international icon. Now open for online bidding, the auction features over 50 lots of historically significant items from America’s pioneering first woman astronaut.

About Sally Ride

Dr. Sally Kristen Ride (1951-2012) made history on June 18, 1983, when she launched aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-7, becoming the first American woman to travel to space. At age 32, she became the youngest American astronaut to reach orbit, operating the shuttle’s robotic arm with unprecedented skill and helping deploy two communications satellites. Her second mission, STS-41-G in October 1984, marked another milestone as the first spaceflight with two women crew members. Together, these missions established Ride as a global symbol of women’s achievements in science and space exploration. 

Robbins Medals

Medals struck by the Robbins Company were given to astronauts to commemorate their flights, and Sally Ride owned several examples. Lots 1-20 feature Robbins gold medals from Ride’s personal collection. Lots 8 and 12 feature the Robbins medals flown on Ride’s missions STS-7 and STS-41-G, making them extraordinarily personal artifacts from her historic spaceflights. 

To learn more and to bid, visit Nate D. Sanders Auctions’ website. The sale concludes June 26.