Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova launched into space on Vostok 6 in 1963. Credit: Roscosmos
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 of rigorous training, including weightless flights and jet pilot training. Her pioneering mission was almost three days (48 orbits) long, piloting the Vostok 6 spacecraft with the radio call name Chaika, or “Seagull.” Years before NASA sent a man to the Moon, Tereshkova’s flight served as a significant political and propaganda victory for the Soviet Union.
