June 16, 1963: Valentina Tereshkova is the first woman in space

On June 16, 1963, 26-year-old Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova made history by becoming the first woman to travel into space. A former factory seamstress, Tereshkova was an accomplished amateur parachutist with over 100 jumps — a vital skill, since Vostok cosmonauts ejected before landing. Selected from over 400 applicants in 1962, she underwent months ofContinue reading “June 16, 1963: Valentina Tereshkova is the first woman in space”
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