SPACE INDUSTRY PIONEER DR. SALLY RIDE TO SERVE AS
GODMOTHER TO NEW 110,000-TON CARNIVAL GLORY
Dockside Naming Ceremony to Take Place in Port Canaveral, Fla., July 14,
2003
MIAMI (05/09/03) - Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman in
space, will serve as godmother to the new 110,000-ton Carnival Glory, the
largest Carnival Cruise Lines cruise ship ever based year-round at Port
Canaveral, Fla.
Dr. Ride will break the ceremonial bottle of champagne across the hull of
the massive 2,974-passenger SuperLiner during a dockside ceremony Monday,
July, 14, 2003, prior to the ship's special five-day pre-inaugural voyage.
"We are proud and delighted to have Dr. Sally Ride serve as
godmother to this spectacular new 'Fun Ship,'" said Bob Dickinson, Carnival
president. "With the aerospace industry having such a defining impact on the
Space Coast and Carnival having the distinction as Port Canaveral's largest
cruise operator, it's only appropriate that one of the world's most famous
astronauts name our new cruise ship."
A pioneer in space travel, Dr. Ride became the first American woman
in space when she was part of the crew that piloted the Space Shuttle
Challenger in 1983. She also was part of the crew of the shuttle's 1984
spaceflight. During these flights, she deployed communications satellites,
operated the robot arm, which she helped design and test, and conducted
experiments in pharmaceuticals and Earth remote-sensing.
Dr. Ride is the co-founder and CEO of Imaginary Lines, designed to
encourage middle-school-aged girls to pursue math and science, and serves as
the Ingrid and Joseph Hibben Professor of Space Science at the University of
California - San Diego.
She has been inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame and awarded the
Jefferson Award for Public Service, the Von Braun Award and the Lindbergh
Eagle. Dr. Ride is also a two-time recipient of the National Spaceflight
Medal.
A longtime advocate for improved science education, Dr. Ride has authored
four children's books and directs an Internet-based NASA project that allows
middle-school students to take digital photos of the Earth from a camera
aboard the Space Shuttle.
Following the naming ceremony, Carnival Glory will serve as the
venue for a VIP champagne reception then sail on a special five-day
pre-inaugural Mexico cruise from Port Canaveral to Costa Maya and Cozumel
July 14-19, 2003.
The ship will then launch year-round seven-day Caribbean service from Port
Canaveral July 19, departing every Saturday on alternating eastern and
western Caribbean itineraries.
