Valentina Tereshkova - The First Woman In Space
March 6th, 2007
On June 16, 1963 Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space. She orbited the earth for almost 3 days, taking photographs and keeping a detailed flight log. She only flew into space once, and it would be 19 years before another woman flew as part of the Soviet space program.
In later life, Tereshkova became a high ranking member of the communist government in Moscow. She was decorated Hero of the Soviet Union, awarded the Order of Lenin, Order of the October Revolution, and the United Nations Gold Medal of Peace. In 2000, she was named “Greatest Woman Achiever of the Century” by the International Women of the Year Association.
Link: Wikipedia article on Valentina Tereshkova
Link: First woman in space dreams of flying to Mars
Link: BBC - Cosmonaut is Woman of the Century
The Soviet Union launched the first man-made satellite, or Sputnik, on October 4, 1957. On Friday, Russia honored Sputnik’s designer Sergei Korolyov. Here’s a link to CCN’s report on Korolyov and the special ceremonies held in Moscow. More information can be found at Wikipedia about Korolyov’s life and accomplishments.
