Science Fact Finder | Space - Who Was The First Woman In Space?

Who was the first woman in space?

Valentina V. Tereshkova (1937-), a cosmonaut from the former Soviet Union, became the first woman in space on June 16, 1963. She orbited Earth 48 times over the course of three days, aboard the Vostok 6. Although Tereshkova had little cosmonaut training, she was an accomplished parachutist and was especially fit for the rigors of space travel. On her return from space, Tereshkova received a hero's welcome and embarked on a world speaking tour. Tereshkova is presently chair of the Russian Association of International Cooperation.

The U.S. space program did not put a woman in space until 20 years after the Soviet Union. On June 18, 1983, Sally K. Ride (1951—) made American history as she flew aboard the space shuttle Challenger mission STS-7. In 1987, Ride became an administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). In that capacity she...

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