Which Soviet cosmonaut became the first woman in space aboard Vostok 6 in 1963?

Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space when she launched aboard the Soviet spacecraft Vostok 6 on June 16, 1963.

Tereshkova was selected from a group of women who trained as cosmonauts, partly because of her experience as a parachutist. During her mission she orbited Earth 48 times over nearly three days, making her the first civilian in space as well as the first woman there.

Vostok 6 flew while Vostok 5, carrying cosmonaut Valery Bykovsky, was also in orbit. Tereshkova later became an engineer, a politician, and a prominent public figure in the Soviet Union and Russia.

Her mission came 20 years before Sally Ride became the first American woman in space. Tereshkova remains the only woman to have flown a solo space mission.