June 16, 1963 — Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova made history by becoming the first woman to travel into space, launching aboard the Vostok 6 spacecraft on this day in 1963.
Selected from a group of female cosmonaut candidates recruited by the Soviet Union in 1961, Tereshkova underwent extensive medical and physical training before being chosen for the landmark mission.
During her nearly three-day flight, Tereshkova orbited Earth 48 times and spent 2 days, 22 hours, and 50 minutes in space. Operating under the call sign “Chaika,” meaning “Seagull” in Russian, she collected valuable data that helped scientists better understand the effects of spaceflight on the female body.
Tereshkova remains the only woman in history to have completed a solo space mission.
Her groundbreaking achievement paved the way for future generations of women in space exploration. However, it would take another 19 years before another woman reached space, when fellow Soviet cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya flew aboard Soyuz T-7 in 1982.
More than six decades later, Tereshkova’s legacy continues to inspire scientists, engineers, astronauts, and explorers around the world.