Valentina Tereshkova

Valentina Vladimirovna Tereshkova (born 6 March 1937) is a retired Russian cosmonaut, engineer, and politician. She is the first woman to have flown in space, having been selected from more than 400 applicants and five finalists to pilot Vostok 6 on 16 June 1963. In order to join the Cosmonaut Corps, Tereshkova was honorarily inducted into the Soviet Air Force and thus she also became the first civilian to fly in space.

Biography from Launch Library 2.

• Vostok-K | Vostok 6 — Pilot · Success · June 16, 1963