--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My background is in physics, so I was the…" description: "\"My background is in physics, so I was the mission specialist, who is sort of like the flight engineer on an airplane.\" — Sally Ride" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/578/sally-ride-5884_airplane_my-background-is-in-physics-so-i-was-the_2135143.png" --- # My background is in physics, so I was the mission… ![“My background is in physics, so I was the mission specialist, who is sort of like the flight engineer on an airplane.” quote by Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/578/sally-ride-5884_airplane_my-background-is-in-physics-so-i-was-the_2135143.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/578/sally-ride-5884_airplane_my-background-is-in-physics-so-i-was-the_2135143.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/578/sally-ride-5884_airplane_my-background-is-in-physics-so-i-was-the_2135143.png) > “My background is in physics, so I was the mission specialist, who is sort of like the flight engineer on an airplane.” [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She explains her physics background qualified her role as mission specialist, akin to a flight engineer. **In simple terms:** Physics helped her work as a mission specialist, like a flight engineer. Key Takeaway Leverage your technical expertise in specialized roles. Themes science space career gender education Mood inspirational proud Type biographical motivational When to use this quote - space missions - STEM education - career planning - team dynamics Key Concepts physics mission specialist flight engineering Questions to Reflect On - How can technical skills be translated to leadership? - What challenges arise when bridging science and engineering? A Different Perspective Specialized roles still need broader teamwork and communication skills. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Engineering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/engineering/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Physics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physics/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) ## Related quotes > [“As I regard physics and psychology as complementary types of examination, I am certain that there is an equally valid way that must lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/as-i-regard-physics-and-psychology-as-complementary-types-of/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [I was a flight engineer on my second flight, which is the most senior position a non-American can have aboard the shuttle. We're the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-payette/i-was-a-flight-engineer-on-my-second-flight-which-is-the-most-senior/) [Julie Payette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-payette/) > [I'm sure the most favorite airplane in my career would still be the Sabre F86 cleft wing , which allowed me to be credited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-m-sure-the-most-favorite-airplane-in-my-career-would-still-be-the/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [Sometimes life is like being stuck in the middle-seat of an airplane, next to a ridiculously fat person and a crying baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-life-is-like-being-stuck-in-the-middle-seat-of-an-airplane/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've been racking my brain. I've been trying to figure out how Bob Dole's luggage got on my airplane...I told the doctor, I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-ve-been-racking-my-brain-i-ve-been-trying-to-figure-out-how-bob/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [From computers to information technology to airplanes, it has been America's unique blend of republican government and free-market capitalism that has allowed us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-nethercutt/from-computers-to-information-technology-to-airplanes-it-has-been/) [George Nethercutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-nethercutt/) > [I don't have a fear of flying; I have a fear of crashing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-don-t-have-a-fear-of-flying-i-have-a-fear-of-crashing/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I'm 17 years old. I'm not a straight-A student or anything. Even so, I figured out how to make an Internet that they can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/i-m-17-years-old-i-m-not-a-straight-a-student-or-anything-even-so-i/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [The way I see it, you can either work for a living or you can fly airplanes. Me, I'd rather fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-morgan/the-way-i-see-it-you-can-either-work-for-a-living-or-you-can-fly/) Len Morgan > [On the second airplane to france and we're done ! yeyyyyyyyyy !! this one was more full :P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmmopy/on-the-second-airplane-to-france-and-we-re-done-yeyyyyyyyyy-this-one/) Shmmopy > [We live in a world where it has become politically correct to avoid absolutes. Many want all religions to be given the same honor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-live-in-a-world-where-it-has-become-politically-correct-to-avoid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I believe that anyone who flies in an airplane and doesn't spend most of his time looking out the window wastes his money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-reisner/i-believe-that-anyone-who-flies-in-an-airplane-and-doesn-t-spend-most/) [Marc Reisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-reisner/) > [I've jumped out of an airplane 34 times. I've dove 212 feet under water. I've done a lot of things that defied death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-ve-jumped-out-of-an-airplane-34-times-i-ve-dove-212-feet-under/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [I shoot in black and white, sometimes color, sometimes if it looks good I shoot out the window of the airplanes or whatever, anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-shoot-in-black-and-white-sometimes-color-sometimes-if-it-looks-good/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) ## More by Sally Ride > [No, I think most astronauts recognize that the space shuttle program is very high-risk, and are prepared for accidents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/no-i-think-most-astronauts-recognize-that-the-space-shuttle-program/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [I have been a bit of a risk-taker all my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/i-have-been-a-bit-of-a-risk-taker-all-my-life/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [The view of earth is spectacular from space. Most people imagine that when astronauts look out the window of the shuttle they see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/the-view-of-earth-is-spectacular-from-space-most-people-imagine-that/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [I was always very interested in science, and I knew that for me, science was a better long-term career than tennis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/i-was-always-very-interested-in-science-and-i-knew-that-for-me/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [You know, I go around the country a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/you-know-i-go-around-the-country-a-lot/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [Anything from making a mistake on an experiment that would ruin some scientist on earth's experiment - career, potentially - to doing something wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/anything-from-making-a-mistake-on-an-experiment-that-would-ruin-some/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [Women make up only 25 percent of the science, engineering and technology workforce... We are delighted to be working with NASA Ames to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/women-make-up-only-25-percent-of-the-science-engineering-and/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [Then during the mission itself, I used the space shuttle's robot arm to release a satellite into orbit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/then-during-the-mission-itself-i-used-the-space-shuttle-s-robot-arm/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [I think eventually private enterprise will be able to send people into orbit, but I suspect initially it's going to have to be with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/i-think-eventually-private-enterprise-will-be-able-to-send-people/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [It's easy to sleep floating around - it's very comfortable. But you have to be careful that you don't float into somebody or something!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/it-s-easy-to-sleep-floating-around-it-s-very-comfortable-but-you-have/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [I don't have any nicknames.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/i-don-t-have-any-nicknames/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [There are lots of opportunities out there for women to work in these fields, ... Girls just need support, encouragement and mentoring to follow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/there-are-lots-of-opportunities-out-there-for-women-to-work-in-these/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [I would like to be remembered as someone who was not afraid to do what she wanted to do, and as someone who took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/i-would-like-to-be-remembered-as-someone-who-was-not-afraid-to-do/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [It takes a couple of years just to get the background and knowledge that you need before you can go into detailed training for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/it-takes-a-couple-of-years-just-to-get-the-background-and-knowledge/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) > [Studying whether there's life on Mars or studying how the universe began, there's something magical about pushing back the frontiers of knowledge. That's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/studying-whether-there-s-life-on-mars-or-studying-how-the-universe/) [Sally Ride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) [Explore all 100 Sally Ride quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/) ## More Airplane quotes > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [I shoot in black and white, sometimes color, sometimes if it looks good I shoot out the window of the airplanes or whatever, anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/i-shoot-in-black-and-white-sometimes-color-sometimes-if-it-looks-good/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I've jumped out of an airplane 34 times. I've dove 212 feet under water. I've done a lot of things that defied death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-ventura/i-ve-jumped-out-of-an-airplane-34-times-i-ve-dove-212-feet-under/) [Jesse Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-ventura/) > [I believe that anyone who flies in an airplane and doesn't spend most of his time looking out the window wastes his money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-reisner/i-believe-that-anyone-who-flies-in-an-airplane-and-doesn-t-spend-most/) [Marc Reisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-reisner/) > [We live in a world where it has become politically correct to avoid absolutes. Many want all religions to be given the same honor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-live-in-a-world-where-it-has-become-politically-correct-to-avoid/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On the second airplane to france and we're done ! yeyyyyyyyyy !! this one was more full :P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shmmopy/on-the-second-airplane-to-france-and-we-re-done-yeyyyyyyyyy-this-one/) Shmmopy > [The way I see it, you can either work for a living or you can fly airplanes. Me, I'd rather fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-morgan/the-way-i-see-it-you-can-either-work-for-a-living-or-you-can-fly/) Len Morgan > [I'm 17 years old. I'm not a straight-A student or anything. Even so, I figured out how to make an Internet that they can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/i-m-17-years-old-i-m-not-a-straight-a-student-or-anything-even-so-i/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [I don't have a fear of flying; I have a fear of crashing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-don-t-have-a-fear-of-flying-i-have-a-fear-of-crashing/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [From computers to information technology to airplanes, it has been America's unique blend of republican government and free-market capitalism that has allowed us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-nethercutt/from-computers-to-information-technology-to-airplanes-it-has-been/) [George Nethercutt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-nethercutt/) > [I've been racking my brain. I've been trying to figure out how Bob Dole's luggage got on my airplane...I told the doctor, I said,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-ve-been-racking-my-brain-i-ve-been-trying-to-figure-out-how-bob/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Sometimes life is like being stuck in the middle-seat of an airplane, next to a ridiculously fat person and a crying baby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-life-is-like-being-stuck-in-the-middle-seat-of-an-airplane/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm sure the most favorite airplane in my career would still be the Sabre F86 cleft wing , which allowed me to be credited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-m-sure-the-most-favorite-airplane-in-my-career-would-still-be-the/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [I do not use airplanes. They strike me as unsporting. You can have an automobile accident-and survive. You can be on a sinking ship-and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/i-do-not-use-airplanes-they-strike-me-as-unsporting-you-can-have-an/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [John Travolta said he sometimes lets his friends take control of his airplane even though they don't know what they're doing. Then Travolta said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/john-travolta-said-he-sometimes-lets-his-friends-take-control-of-his/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) Browse all 935 Airplane quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My background is in physics, so I was the mission specialist, who is sort of like the flight engineer on an airplane.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sally Ride" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/my-background-is-in-physics-so-i-was-the-mission-specialist-who-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Airplane" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/my-background-is-in-physics-so-i-was-the-mission-specialist-who-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/578/sally-ride-5884_airplane_my-background-is-in-physics-so-i-was-the_2135143.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/578/sally-ride-5884_airplane_my-background-is-in-physics-so-i-was-the_2135143.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/578/sally-ride-5884_airplane_my-background-is-in-physics-so-i-was-the_2135143.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My background is in physics, so I was the mission specialist, who is sort of like the flight engineer on an…” — Sally Ride", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sally Ride", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-ride/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My background is in physics, so...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/my-background-is-in-physics-so-i-was-the-mission-specialist-who-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ride/my-background-is-in-physics-so-i-was-the-mission-specialist-who-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```