The First Woman in Space: Valentina Tereshkova

RADIO MOSCOW (on June 16, 1963): For the first time in history, a woman has gone up into outer space. A Soviet citizen, Tereshkova.

At the height of the Cold War, space travel became a powerful symbol of national prowess. Every space spectacular became a symbol not just of superior technology, but also of a superior way of life.

Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev was a master of space propaganda. One of his greatest achievements took place 40 years ago (June 16, 1963), with the launch of a 26-year-old textile worker into orbit: Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space.

Tereshkova was one of five finalists for the job. Khrushchev himself picked her to fly aboard the Vostok 6 capsule. It was part of a Soviet doubleheader -- another cosmonaut was already orbiting aboard Vostok 5. The two craft briefly passed within five kilometers of each other.

Tereshkova, who picked the call sign "Seagull," spent three days in space. After returning to Earth, she was awarded the Order of Lenin and became a goodwill ambassador. In another publicity move, she married the only bachelor cosmonaut, Andrian Nikolayev.

Tereshkova never flew in space again. In fact, neither did any other woman for almost 20 years. Today, 40 women from a half-dozen countries have flown in space. The one who's logged the most time in orbit is Shannon Lucid -- an American who spent six months aboard a Russian space station.


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Khorsheed.com – Jul 2003