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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/aero-tereshkova-first-woman

Who was the first woman to fly in space, in 1963?

Valentina Tereshkova of the Soviet Union.

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  1. Sally Ride
  2. Valentina Tereshkova ✔
  3. Svetlana Savitskaya

Why: Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova launched on June 16, 1963, aboard Vostok 6. That was about 20 years before Sally Ride's flight.

Huh, didn't know that: Before becoming a cosmonaut, Tereshkova was a skilled amateur parachutist.

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References

Answer: Valentina Tereshkova. Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova launched on June 16, 1963, aboard Vostok 6. That was about 20 years before Sally Ride's flight.

  1. NASA History, Sally Ride: First American Woman in Space www.nasa.gov/history/sally-ride-first-american-woman-in-space
    Tereshkova launched into space June 16, 1963, aboard Vostok-6.
    Checked 2026-10-10.
  2. NASA StarChild, Valentina Tereshkova starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/whos_who_level2/tereshkova.html
    It was her expertise in parachute jumping that led to her selection as a cosmonaut.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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