Valentina Tereshkova, Legendary Soviet Cosmonaut Who Became First Woman in Space

Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova shortly before her spaceflight with the chief designer of the world's first space-going rockets Sergei Korolev.

After Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space in 1961, Tereshkova volunteered for the Soviet space program. Although she did not have any experience as a pilot, she was accepted into the program because of her 126 parachute jumps. At the time, cosmonauts had to parachute from their capsules seconds before they hit the ground on returning to Earth.

Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova inside the Vostok-6 spaceship.

On June 16, 1963, Tereshkova, then aged 26, blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in what is now Kazakhstan following in the historic footsteps Yuri Gagarin, the first man to fly to space in 1961. Her mission lasted almost 71 hours for a total of 48 orbits of Earth at altitudes ranging from 180 to 230 kilometers.

Cosmonaut valentina Tereshkova minutes before liftoff.

All Western media knew about Valentina Tereshkova at the time was that she used to be a textile worker, was a skydiver, was single and her call sign was "Chaika" (Seagull). "The first pictures of the spacewoman, flashed on Moscow television just after 2 p.m., showed the girl with a small spit-curl looped over one eye and a dimple in her chin," The New York Times reported. "Valentina—or Valya, by which she is known to her friends—seemed to wipe away the gloom of Moscow's gray skies with her smile and a never-ending stream of chatter."

Cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova and Valery Bykovsky during a training session.

Tereshkova's June 16, 1963 spaceflight was a dual mission. Cosmonaut Valery Bykovsky launched on Vostok 5 on June 14, 1963. Two days later, Tereshkova launched. The two spacecraft took different orbits and came within 5 kilometers of each other exchanging communications.

Valentina Tereshkova the goalkeeper.

Spanish news agency EFE wrote about a post-flight exchange Valentina Tereshkova had with then Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. Khrushchev asked her if she had experienced any mishaps during the flight.
"No, just hit my nose, nothing serious, I will survive," Tereshkova smiled. "When you come to Moscow we'll give you the grand reception you deserve," Khrushchev promised.

Valentina Nikolayeva-Tereshkova and her cosmonaut husband Andriyan Nikolayev riding camels in Sahara desert during a trip to Algeria.

Valentina Tereshkova was selected from more than 400 women to join the female cosmonaut corps. She has been called a trailblazer and as "woman of the century" and is considered a national hero in Russia. Tereshkova is also the first civilian to have flown in space.

Valentina Tereshkova working out ahead of her flight.

Life magazine wrote that Tereshkova became the first woman in space even though the US had its own program to send women to space. According to the magazine, many of the American would-be women astronauts were "more qualified than Tereshkova" but because of the lack of enthusiasm by NASA, the US "female space program" never got off the ground.

Cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova during a radio class.

Up until the successful launch, the entire mission was classified. On the day of the flight, Tereshkova told her family she was leaving to take part in a parachuting contest. Valentina's mother only learnt about her daughter's real whereabouts on the radio, while Tereshkova was circling the Earth in space.

Cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova and Andriyan Nikolayev and Tereshkova's mother Yelena Fyodorovna vacationing in the Caucasus.

Tereshkova's spaceflight almost turned into tragedy when an error in the spacecraft's automatic navigation software caused the ship to move away from Earth. Tereshkova noticed this and Soviet scientists quickly developed a new landing algorithm. Tereshkova landed safely but received a bruise on her face.

Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova with daughter Alyona.
On November 3, 1963, Tereshkova married fellow cosmonaut Andriyan Nikolayev. In June of 1964, Tereshkova gave birth to her first and only child, a daughter named Elena. The girl became the first child in the world whose parents were both cosmonauts. Elena later went on to become a medical doctor.

Valentina Tereshkova enters in her logbook the time and place of her landing.

Tereshkova landed in the Altay region. Local villagers helped her out of her bulky spacesuit and invited her to join them for dinner. She accepted and was later reprimanded for violating the rules and not undergoing medical tests first.

Valentina Tereshkova in the documentary "The Soviets in Space."

Tereshkova never flew in space again. She later became a test pilot and instructor and earned a doctorate in technical sciences. Even though there were plans for further flights by women, it took 19 years until the second woman, Svetlana Savitskaya, flew into space.

Cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova and Valery Bykovsky with children after their spaceflight.

Vostok-6 was the last of the Vostok spacecraft series. Valery Bykovsky flew a total of 5 days and 82 orbits. He landed 3 hours after Tereshkova on June 19.

Cosmonauts, Heroes of the Soviet Union Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova.

Tereshkova was decorated with the Hero of the Soviet Union medal, the USSR's highest award. She was also awarded the Order of Lenin, Order of the October Revolution, numerous other medals, and foreign distinctions including the United Nations Gold Medal of Peace and the Simba International Women's Movement Award. In 1990 she received an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh. Tereshkova crater on the far side of the Moon bears her name.

Valentina Tereshkova enjoying an enthusiastic welcome in Yaroslavl.

She later was a deputy to the Supreme Soviet, then a people's deputy. Valentina Tereshkova enjoying an enthusiastic welcome in Yaroslavl. Tereshkova was a member of the Supreme Soviet Presidium and she later became head of the Soviet Women's Committee. She also was head of the International Cultural and Friendship Union and later was a chairperson of the Russian Association of International Cooperation.

Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova, Pavel Popovich and Yuri Gagarin on the Lenin Mausoleum on the Red Square during a rally celebrating the successful flights Vostok-5 and Vostok-6 by Tereshkova and Valery Bykovsky.

Chairman of the Supreme Soviet Presidium Leonid Brezhnev giving state awards to Valentina Tereshkova and Valery Bykovsky.

Beyond her recognized political offices in the Soviet Union, Tereshkova also became a well-known representative of the Soviet Union abroad. She was made a member of the World Peace Council in 1966, a member of the Yaroslavl Soviet in 1967, a member of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union in 1966–1970 and 1970–1974, and was elected to the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet in 1974.

March 6, 2017. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Valentina Tereshkova, cosmonaut, the first woman in space, Hero of the Soviet Union and deputy of the Russian State Duma, during a meeting.

Valentina Tereshkova giving an autograph.

NASA Astronaut Nicole Stott also wished Tereshkova via a video message congratulating her and her 80th birthday saying that she has been a source of inspiration for Stott and other young women around the world.

Valentina Tereshkova at the Krasny Perekop textile mill where she worked prior to her historic spaceflight.

But today at age 76, Tereshkova is ready to forget retirement and sign up for a truly grand space adventure – a trip to Mars. "I am ready [to go to Mars]," she said in remarks on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of her June 16, 1963 blastoff. Apparently, Mars is her favorite planet!