Former Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova made history as the first woman in space. Chosen from over 400 candidates, Tereshkova underwent intense training with the Soviet Air Force to handle the extreme conditions of outer space. After Tereshkova launched solo aboard Vostok 6 on June 16, 1963, she orbited the Earth 48 times for 71 hours. In 1984, Tereshkova returned for a second space mission, becoming the first woman to fly to space twice and perform a spacewalk.
Former Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova made history as the first woman in space. Chosen from over 400 candidates, Tereshkova underwent intense training with the Soviet Air Force to handle the extreme conditions of outer space. After Tereshkova launched solo aboard Vostok 6 on June 16, 1963, she orbited the Earth 48 times for 71 hours. In 1984, Tereshkova returned for a second space mission, becoming the first woman to fly to space twice and perform a spacewalk.