Valentina Tereshkova is a Russian cosmonaut and the first woman to travel into space. She flew aboard the spacecraft Vostok 6 on June 16, 1963, completing 48 orbits around the Earth during her three-day mission. Her journey marked a significant milestone in the space race and women's contributions to space exploration. Before becoming a cosmonaut, Tereshkova was a textile factory worker and an amateur skydiver. Her selection for the mission was part of the Soviet Union's efforts to promote gender equality in science and technology. After her flight, she became a prominent figure in the Soviet space program and continued to advocate for space exploration.