Valentina Tereshkova, first woman in space

Valentina Tereshkova was born in the Yaroslavl region. (This is the city that I volunteer in.) She came from parents who worked in the industry sector. She only went to school until she was age 8, and then went to work at the local textile plant, but she continued her education by correspondence courses. By the age of 22, she joined the local parachuting club, Aeroclub. Due to her ability to parachute she was recruited into the women's cosmonaut program for the flight to space. Only 400 woman were selected to joint the woman's division, and then from that point only 5 women were selected to ultimately Valentina was selected to go to space.

Qualification for Space:

1. Under 30 years old
2. Under 5'7''
3. Under 154 pounds

Training

• Weightless flights
• Isolation tests
• Centrifuge tests
• Rocket theory
• Spacecarft engineering
• 120 parachute jumps
• Pilot training

Lift Off

On June 14, 1963, Valery Bykovsky was launched into space in the Vostok 5. Valentina followed his flight on June 16, 1963 in Vostok 6. During her flight, she orbited the Earth 48 times and spent 3 days in space.

After the tour, I thought to myself going into space is truly a shot in the dark. For example, the aircraft she went in looks more like a BB pellet being shot into space. Then we saw the food (paste) she had to eat for those 3 days!! Doesn't quite scream appetizing! It is a wonder she came back alive!! Yikes!!