The first female astronaut to travel to space was Valentina Tereshkova, a Soviet cosmonaut. She made her historic flight on June 16, 1963, aboard the Vostok 6 spacecraft, spending nearly three days in orbit. Tereshkova’s mission was groundbreaking, as she became the first woman to venture into space, after which she remained an influential figure in science and politics. Her journey inspired countless women to pursue careers in science and technology. After her mission, Tereshkova continued to work with the Soviet space program and advocated for women’s rights, proving that women could excel in fields traditionally dominated by men.